Breached
by Gothicragdoll
Summary: Judy is on a date with another rabbit when she runs into Nick in an altercation with a Vixen on the street.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I know! I should probably finish one story before I start another. Especially when there is just three weeks left of classes. Oh well. I hit a fork in the road for Foregone Conclusions, so while I try to work that out here is another story about Nick and Judy. This is a different story all together in a different time, dimension, universe and so on.

Updates will vary until class gets out for the summer. Then hopefully I'll have more time to work on everything.

All mistakes are all mine.

Anyway, Thanks for reading!

 **Breached**

Nothing in particular made her realize it, but it dawned on her all the same. Two months. Judy just realized it as she watched Kenneth Jackson, her boyfriend, pay for their dinner date. She had been dating a rabbit for two months. She was kind of surprised her parents haven't called to congratulate her on basically a marriage proposal at this point. Granted, she wasn't expecting a proposal any time soon, but in her parent's eyes she was practically married. She thought of bringing this up with Kenneth for half a second before she realized how that would sound. She smiled thinking better of it.

"What?" Kenneth asked.

"Oh, nothing." Judy leaned on the table, putting her head on her intertwined fingers.

"Nothing?" he asked. He suddenly had a hurt look on his face. He was obviously teasing her because he hinted at a smile a few seconds later, "Well…I guess this is also nothing."

From out of nowhere he put a small box on the table. Judy felt her breath leave her and a fast feeling of alarm came over her. If this was the hypothetical proposal she was just thinking about, but really happening...she had no real answer for him. Did she like Kenneth…yes, but enough to marry him after two months of dating…she wasn't too sure…which was probably a no then. How was she supposed to tell him this?

"Are you going to open it or just stare at it?" he asked. He laughed. "You act like you've never received a gift before."

She looked back up at him before slowly reaching out for the small box. She opened it to reveal a simple necklace with a single pink crystal She could have hugged Kenneth at that moment out of pure relief. On farther inspection the necklace didn't seem to match the box, which meant they were obtained separately.

"It's a rose quartz." He said excitedly. "Crystals are a hobby of mine and I have many different types for many different reasons, and I've never really had anyone to share it with…but I'd like to share it with you." He cleared his throat when she didn't respond right away. "The rose quartz means love. I know we've hinted at the feeling, but I want to outright say it. I love you, Judy Hopps. And if you don't say it back tonight…I will wait for when you're ready…if you're ever ready. I love you."

"Kenneth…" she said almost breathlessly. "This is beautiful. I didn't know you were into crystals." She said lamely. She knew it was not the response he wanted. She could tell by the slight crestfallen look on his face. He recovered quickly though.

"Yes." He said. "I generally use them to promote certain feelings or dispositions. My mother was the one who got me started on it."

"Thank you." She said. "It was very thoughtful of you."

"Well…I wanted to do something…I hope you don't think this is corny, but I wanted to do something special since we've officially been dating for two months." He smiled widely.

Kenneth's fur shimmered in the lighting in the restaurant. It was a dark shine on his midnight black fur and combined with the lighting made his dark blue eyes pop. He was a handsome rabbit, which was one of the first things she noticed about him when they met at a coffee shop.

She was on break and was getting some real coffee for her and Nick. Nick stayed behind to not finish paper work, despite the fact that is what he said he was doing. She smiled at the memory briefly. Nick probably was still embarrassed from the last time they were in the shop. At the time, he had been flirting with the cashier (to make Judy jealous) and accidently spilled the coffee everywhere. As a result of Nick's protests, they had not gone back for a month at that point when she met Kenneth. She immediately took to him, and he gave her his number. It would be another month before he actually asked her out on a date. That was one of the strangest months of her life. She didn't care to remember that month much.

Though, it all worked itself out. She smiled at Kenneth. She looked down at the crystal and back up at him. "I am aware." She laughed almost in a timid manner. "I was actually just thinking about it."

Kenneth seemed to be happy to hear that. "Well, that's good." He said. Suddenly he got fidgety. "Well, I guess we should get going and let someone else have the table. We could catch a show before it gets too late. Then I can drop you off at your apartment."

"I'd love that." Judy nodded and gathered her purse and the necklace before following him out. "So…you knew how long we had been dating?" he asked.

Judy replied, "It was just a passing thought." She said teasingly. She smiled at him and took his arm. She continued to look at his face for his reaction.

They walked outside the restaurant and started heading towards Kenneth's car. Judy was about to speak when she saw something in the corner of her eye. She looked over and saw two foxes clearing fighting. It was a controlled fight. They weren't yelling loud or really making a scene at all. It was just obvious they were arguing. If one didn't look at them or care to hear what they were saying, you could easily pass them by without a second thought. The vixen reached out and the other fox stepped back. The male fox was trying to walk away, but the vixen kept perusing him. Judy wasn't sure why she took such note of it until she realized she recognized one of the foxes.

Despite the fact that Judy had stopped paying attention long ago, Kenneth kept talking, "So…you just stare at me with that loving look and think about..."

"Nick!" she gasped. That's who that was!

She let go of Kenneth and ran over to the two foxes. Nick turned and had a startled look on his face. He was very upset by whatever was going on. "Nick, are you okay?" she asked. She put on her cop voice. She didn't know what was going on and didn't want to come across as accusatory, but she wanted to make it clear he wasn't going to shut her out. Not like he had been lately.

"I'm fine, Carrots." He said. "It's all fine." He put up his hands in a placating manner.

"So this is the bunny you've been rejecting me for." The vixen spat at Nick. Nick turned back to look at her. "Almost didn't recognize you with your clothes on."

Judy looked at Nick questioningly.

"Zoe, you are way out of line." Nick snapped at the Vixen. He turned to Judy's date. "Hi, you must be Kenneth. Could you please take Carrots home?"

"Don't tell me what to do, Nick Wilde." Judy growled at Nick.

"You didn't seem to mind when you were having sex with him." Zoe crossed her arms. Nick froze in place. Judy gaped at them both.

"Nick, how does she know that?" Judy asked. She looked back at Kenneth, who stared at them in shock. Her attention turned back to Nick when he spoke.

Nick rubbed his face. "She put cameras in my bedroom and God knows where else. I found them this morning."

Judy looked at the vixen then back to Nick. "You've done some insane stuff in the past, but this…" Nick started.

She cut him off. "I just had to know." She said simply and shrugged.

"Know what?" Nick exclaimed.

"Why you were rejecting me. More importantly what you were rejecting me for." She spat at Judy.

"You shut your…" Nick pointed at Zoe and was clearly beyond angry. Judy decided to step in before it did turn into a scene. She took Nick's hand that was extended to Zoe.

"Nick let's go home." She said. He let her take his hand. Nick opened his mouth to say something else. "Please, Nick."

Nick gave Zoe one last glare before allowing Judy to lead him away.

"Kenneth, can you take us home." Judy asked.

"Yeah, sure." He said quietly. He looked at Judy still holding Nick's hand. Nick was looking down.

They walked silently to Kenneth's car. Judy never let go of Nick's hand until she opened the door to the back seat and got in beside him. Kenneth watched them before getting into the driver's seat. "Which way should I go?" he asked.

"Just go to my apartment." Judy said looking at him.

"No, Kenny." Nick spoke. He looked straight up at Kenneth's face. Their eyes met through the rearview window. "Just head west of here." He looked out the window to the nearest street sign to see where they were at.

"Nick." Judy spoke up.

"I need to get the cameras out of my room and search the rest of my apartment. There is no telling where else she put them up." Nick said. He looked away. He picked at a fuzz that didn't exist beside him.

"Nick, we'll do that tomorrow. Together." She said. "Kenneth, please take us to my apartment."

"Yes, ma'am." Kenneth turned on the car. He checked to see if any cars were coming before taking off.

"We'll talk to Chief Bogo." Judy started.

"I don't want to talk to Chief Bogo." Nick said. "No, Judy!" He added when she started to argue with him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell. I don't want to talk to Chief Bogo. I don't want to explain to him what was being seen on those cameras. I don't know if she just watched or recorded…I don't know. I just want them out of my house."

"How did she even put them up in the first place, Nick?" Judy asked. Nick was right. They'd have a lot of explaining to do if they went to Bogo about this and Judy didn't know if she even wanted that until she knew what was going on.

"Zoe showed up on my door step some months back. I let her in. My mistake. She…must have stolen my spare keys…" he drifted off.

"The keys we spent a whole evening trying to find…" Judy started to ask.

"Then they showed up a few days later where I said I had left them." Nick nodded, finishing her sentence. Nick groaned putting his head in his hands. He sat up. "Judy, I am so sorry."

Judy put her hand on his thigh. Kenneth noticed the physical liberty they took with each other. Specifically Judy touching Nick. "It's okay…well…it's not. But there isn't anything we can do about it right this very moment."

Nick nodded. He looked out the window. "Nick, who is she?" Judy asked. She rubbed his leg.

He looked up to Kenneth and then back to Judy beside him. He took her hand off of his leg and held it a brief second before letting go. Judy put her hand in her own lap. "She's an ex-girlfriend." Nick sighed. "We dated about three-ish years ago. She showed up at my place and wanted to get back together."

"After three years?" Judy asked.

"Yep." Nick said bitterly. He folded his arms. He evidently didn't want to talk about it. Judy decided to drop it until they were alone together.

When they got to Judy's apartment building she handed Nick the keys. "I'll be up in a second."

Nick took the keys. He looked at Kenneth. "Thank you, Kenny." He said. He looked at Judy before getting out of the car.

"No problem." Kenneth said. As soon as Nick was in the building Kenneth turned to the back seat to look at Judy.

"Thank you, Kenneth." She said. "I owe you."

"That you do. An explanation for starters." He said. "What just happened Judy, and why is he staying here?"

"I can't let him go home." Judy said. "She put up cameras in his house. He needs a place to stay."

Kenneth nodded. "Okay. Why don't we take him to my house?" he asked. "We can stay at my house."

"Why your house?" she asked.

She hasn't even seen his house yet. He just picked her up at her apartment and they always went out. One time he came into her apartment. She had just got off of work later than she had planned. She wasn't quite ready so he sat on her bed and waited while she added embellishments to her outfit.

"I have a guest room…you could stay in there and he could stay on the couch?" he suggested.

"No, we'll be fine." Judy said. "We don't want to intrude. We'll get this taken care of tomorrow and everything will be fine." She tried to reassure him. Though, she knew he wasn't stupid, but she didn't want him to get involved. It was different with Nick. She needed him to solve the Otterton case, but Kenneth…he was a banker and she didn't know what she was getting into.

He sighed. "Where is he even going to sleep?"

"We've shared a bed before." She said as a matter of factly. Both froze in place. To be honest, she hadn't given the sleeping arrangements any thought. Nick needed a place to stay and she just took him in. No thought given whatsoever. "I haven't been unfaithful to you, Kenneth. Nick and I slept together before you and I were dating and ended it before you and I ever started dating."

"So, it's true." He asked. "You slept with a fox?"

"I slept with Nick." She clarified. She folded her hands in front of her. Lacing her fingers together.

"I know you said you've never been unfaithful to me, but why are you going to sleep…sleep sleep… with him in the same bed?" he asked.

"If Nick were a girl would you question that?" Judy asked. "I know I've had an intimate relationship with him, but Nick is my closest and dearest friend. That's all he is now. I am with you. It's just for the night. He's staying with me for the night." He had to know she was lying. Nick was going to stay with her indefinitely.

"I don't like it." He said. "I don't want you guys alone in the same apartment let alone in the same bed." He shook his hand in front of him as he spoke. His hand was curled in a loose fist.

"I won't let him go home." She said. "As for the same bed. I've already explained we're just friends now. He has nowhere else to go." Which was another lie. Nick could always ask Finnick for help too, but Judy wanted to make sure Nick was safe herself.

"Is that why you were touching him the entire way here?" he asked. "I saw you."

"I was just trying to comfort him." She said. "He's really upset right now. Anyone would be in that situation."

"I get that." Kenneth said. "Please, Judy, I am trying to be understanding. I understand that you don't want him to go home, but understand where I am coming from. I just found out my girlfriend's ex-lover is a fox and she's taken him home and going to share the same bed with him. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"How much of it is that Nick was my lover and how much of it is that Nick's a fox?" she asked.

"Listen." Kenneth said. "I need some time to think. I want that explanation, but I need time to let this sink in. Take care of your friend and I'll talk to you later."

Judy stared at him. She sighed before she got out of the car. She purposely left the rose quartz necklace on the seat. "Good night, Kenneth."

 **End notes:** I have no idea what I'm doing. I have no idea where this fic is going. It's just going. We'll see where it goes from here.


	2. Chapter 2

Nick looked up at Judy as she closed her door to the small apartment. He was standing near the window where he had been watching the couple talk in the car. "Whatever suggestion he made you should have taken him up on it, Carrots." Nick said. He leaned his back against the window seal and folded his arms across his chest.

Judy set her purse down on the bed. She began to take off her coat. "He wanted you to sleep on his couch at his place." She said. "I'd be there too…"

Nick titled his head. "In his room?" Nick smiled playfully. A small hint of jealously filled his voice, but he kept his tone light.

She smiled when he took the bait. "Nope. In a guest bedroom." She said. She was trying to sound as nonchalant as she could. She looked at him smiling.

"Keep this one, Carrots." He said. "I think he's got money…no pun intended." Nick smiled when Judy gave him a look that said 'really?'

"Is that all he said?" Nick asked. He tilted his head the other way.

"He's obviously not happy with the sleeping arrangements for tonight." She said. She started to get undressed and put a nightgown on. Nick looked away. She noticed his discomfort. She felt sadness flood through her. She didn't like the guilty feeling vibe he was giving off in that moment.

"What are the sleeping arrangements exactly?" he asked carefully. He peeked to see if she was fully dressed and went back to his relaxed stance when he saw she was.

She looked at him. "We're sleeping there." She shrugged towards the bed. She was trying to not make a big deal out of it. Nick on the other hand looked like he was dumbfounded by her response. He had had his arms folded while he leaned again the window, but pushed himself on the window and leaned toward her. His arms were now raised a little from his sides.

"What?' he asked. "Judy…"

"Nick, don't." she waved him off. "You've called me Judy too many times tonight…please…just call me Carrots." She walked over to him. She put her head into his chest like she did that one day he forgave her for the press conference. He put his hands on her back and shoulder. He rubbed her shoulder.

"Judy…Carrots…we can't do this." Nick whispered. "I can't do this…what about Kenneth?"

She pushed herself up to look at him with her hands on his chest. "You will always come first." She said. She meant it too. "Above anyone else. I love you…I know we said we'd stop. I have no intentions of doing anything in that bed with you tonight other than sleeping, but know you always come first."

Nick sighed and took her wrists in his hands. "You too, Carrots." He said quietly. "You too."

They had been sleeping together a few months before she had even met Kenneth. It started off innocent enough…well as innocent as something like that could get. They never said it out loud though. It would become real if they said it out loud. They knew they couldn't have an actual relationship. The idea of the relationship between different species itself was ludicrous. But then there were the subtle touches, the lingering stares, the way they almost never left each other's side. They kissed one day…out of the blue. It wasn't after a hard case or a life threatening incident…it was just that. A kiss on the cheek. She kissed him one day. He kissed her forehead the next…then they kissed ever so chastely on the lips.

Each touch after that was careful. Every caress both spontaneous and planned out. They went about the physical affection the same amount of shyness middle schoolers did when they first starting "dating" each other. Then the sex happened. That one was after a difficult case….well not that difficult. That one was pretty straightforward. However, Judy had been attacked by a young lioness in pursuit. It was a classic Bonnie and Clyde scenario. Two dumb kids simply got in over their heads. Nick nearly lost it when he thought Judy was hurt, but she was more in shock than anything else. She hit her head hard against a brick building wall, but other than that she was intact. Once they got back to his place he immediately started to kiss her furiously as if he had come close to losing her. It certainly felt like it. She returned his actions with as much vitality. She started to unbutton his uniform shirt and it proceeded from there.

It ended with them lying on his bed in each other's arms. They had discussed how they should be appalled at their own actions (because they were colleagues at work), but admitted they knew it was coming. They continued to sleep with each other all the way up until she met Kenneth. When Nick found out about her getting the number he was outraged, but the more he thought about it he encouraged it.

Judy was confused and a little hurt at first by his encouragement. "Carrots, you can have a life with him. We hide what we have. We can't be open about our relationship. With this guy, you can go out on dates to fancy restaurants, go to the movies, and go to sporting events." She made fun of him for the way he said sports.

"We do those things together." She said. In her heart she was very aware that it was different.

"As friends." Nick said. "Could you even tell your family about us? How long do you think this is going to last, Carrots?"

The more she thought about it she knew he was right. She didn't want to admit it. It wasn't until they were harassed by a group of hippos because they slipped and were holding hands in public that she gave in. They had a long serious conversation that night. Judy couldn't remember crying so hard in her life. Nick cried too, but tried harder to keep a brave face on. After the crying session ceased and it turned into a heavyhearted silence they finally began to construct how they would live their lives from then on. How to go about their work relationship would go, their relationship outside of work, everything. It wasn't easy stopping what they were doing. Sometimes they both caught themselves sinking into old habits.

So, Judy took the next step and text Kenneth and he answered. They talked over text and a few phone calls over a course of a few weeks and a date was set. Judy encouraged Nick to see a vixen or two. He smiled. "One for each arm." He said gaily. He did go out with one, but Nick never said if anything went with it. Which begged the question.

"Nick…who is Zoe?" she asked. She looked down at her hands in his. She briefly wondered if the vixen he went on the date with had been Zoe. Perhaps he was trying to rekindle an old flame and it didn't work out. She felt a little jealous by that thought, but it was shut down when she realized that Zoe had known about their relationship…had seen them together intimately. Also, Nick seemed adamant that he wanted nothing to do with her. He rejected her and she claimed that was why she went to the extremes she did.

Nick pulled back. He walked over the bed and sat down. He scooted back until his back was against the wall and wrapped his arms around his legs. Judy walked over and joined him. She sat on the edge of the bed near the door. "I dated Zoe long before I met you about three years ago. We dated for five years." He said the last sentence rather slowly. He let his head move in tiny bounces. He looked straight at her.

"It wasn't a good relationship, Carrots." He said. "She was possessive, controlling and manipulative."

"Why did you stay with her?' she asked. She played with the strap of her purse, but her eyes never left Nick's.

"She helped out with the cons." Nick shrugged. He resorted to playing with the edge of the blanket against the wall breaking eye contact. "And I didn't want to be alone. Could I be alone, yes and have been single for a lot longer than I've been with someone, but it can get lonely…and for a conman…sometimes it's easier to be with someone who gets that life. I also didn't realize how bad it was until after the fact. Normal stuff."

"Yeah, normal." She rolled her eyes. "So, has she done the camera thing before?"

Nick shook his head. "No. It just sounded like something she'd do."

He put his head in his hand and tilted his head to look at Judy. "Especially after I saw her. We, you and I, had started… sleeping together and your stuff was scattered all throughout the apartment. Zoe just showed up out of the blue one day. She wanted to get together. I turned her down. She tried to appeal to me by saying she had a con that would be worth my while. I told her I had gone straight. That's when she noticed your smell." Nick started laughing.

Judy startled at his outburst.

He sat up and shifted his body to face her. "She got so angry. She threw a chair at me. Remember when you asked why that one chair was broken and I said Finnick and I were rough housing? That's what really happened." He swallowed. "Sorry I lied by the way."

"Nick, that's not funny." She said.

Judy remembered that. There was a bruise on his left cheek. It must have hit him in the face. Suddenly she was angry that she didn't do anything about Zoe when she saw her earlier. She was furious when Nick told her that Zoe recorded them sleeping together, but she was worried about Nick getting physical with her out on a public street. So, she played peacekeeper and took him home. Now she wished she had taken a good swing at her.

Nick shook his head. "No. It's not. You're right." He coughed down a laugh. He leaned back on the wall again. This time he took his own tail in his hands and began petting it. He flattened out the fur the correct angle downward and then proofed it back up causing him to shiver.

"Finnick knew she was back then." She said.

Nick nodded. "Sorry, Carrots. He knew her from back in the old days. I told him what happened. He's the one that came up with the lie. I didn't want you to know about her. So, I went with it."

Judy breathed in. "What type of things did she use to do…to you?" she asked. Nick stilled holding his tail. He let go and it flipped down to his side where it had been.

"I'm tired, Carrots." He said. "Can we go to bed?"

Recognizing the subject change for what it was she nodded. She jumped off the bed and took her coat and purse with her. She set the purse on her table and hung the coat up. She turned around to see Nick clearly in internal conflict. He had his hand on the first button on his shirt. His beautiful green eyes blank from expression. He seemed to be frozen in time.

"Nick." She said softly. "We're just sleeping."

Nick breathed in and looked at her. "Sure thing, Carrots."

He began to unbutton his shirt. Judy walked past him to shut the window curtains. He took off his shirt. Judy took it from him and folded it. She held it close to her chest before setting it on the table. She could feel Nick watch her actions. It was so unlike him, but he almost timidly took off his pants. He folded them himself before setting it on the table on top of his shirt. He took off his tie last as if he forgot he had it on at all.

Judy pulled back the blankets and stepped aside. Nick's side was against the wall in her apartment. In his, the bed isn't against the wall, so he occupies the left side. Nick jumped onto the bed and held out his hand to help Judy up. They both laid back. Side by side…trying to not touch. Nick put his hands on top of his chest. Judy turned to her side facing away from Nick. She folded her hands to use to hold her head in addition to her pillow. "Good night, Nick."

"Night, Carrots." Nick said tightly. Judy reached behind her, making her body turn slightly back. She found his hand and held it. Nick returned her action and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

Judy found herself nearly crying. It was so good to sleep with Nick by her side again. She hated sleeping alone now that she knew how good it felt to sleep in a lover's arms. It had been nearly three months since she had woken up to Nick in her bed…or she in his. She never attempted much of a physical relationship with Kenneth. She never cared to.

She had grown to like him…she liked him a lot, but lying here with Nick she knew that she could never say yes if he asked her to marry him…if he even wanted to continue their relationship at all. After tonight she wouldn't be surprised to never hear from him again. Either way, she was glad she gave him back that stupid necklace. She felt Nick's other hand caress her hand that she was holding his with. She decided with that touch she'd let Kenneth contact her first. She wasn't going to worry about it…all she wanted was right now…here with her Nick in their bed.

"I love you." She whispered.

She felt Nick shift. His lips kissed her fingers. "I love you too, Carrots."

 **End Notes:** I think I have a better idea now. However, I'm still just going to let this one happen as it happens. I'm enjoying it. :)


	3. Chapter 3

Judy woke with a start. Her phone was going off. She lifted her head up to realize she was using Nick as a pillow. He was laying on his side facing the wall and she was using his side for a pillow. She pushed herself up half using the wall and half using Nick's body. Nick shifted slightly. "Shhh…" she whispered. "Go back to sleep." He mumbled something she didn't quite catch. She patted his side smiling.

She got up off of him when it was apparent that he was not going to be moving from the position he was in. Nick snuggled more into the pillow. She covered him with the blanket. She got off the bed to check the phone. Judging by the ringtone, it wasn't work, so she knew that it was extremely important to jump out of bed right away. It was someone who is in her phone however. She looked down to find that it was Kenneth who was texting her.

"You okay?" it read.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Did I wake you?" it asked a second later.

"No, I was awake." She lied feeling annoyed.

"Is Nick awake?" the text asked.

"No. He's still a sleep." She replied.

"Can we talk? I'll get breakfast." It read. "We can bring back Nick something."

She hesitated. That didn't sound like a break up text…or a text foretelling a breakup. She glanced at Nick's sleeping form. She sighed. She did say she was going to let Kenneth take the lead on how to proceed with their relationship. She texted him back. "Yes, we can meet."

"I'll be there in 20 minutes." She read. That gave her enough time to take a shower. She knew she probably smelled like Nick and she didn't want to alienate Kenneth right away before they had a chance to talk. She left Nick a note and got ready.

She waited on the curb for Kenneth. It wasn't long before he pulled up in his car. She immediately jumped in. "Morning." She said getting in and putting on a seat belt.

"Good morning." He greeted her. He started driving. "I want to say this while we're in the car. I apologize for my behavior last night."

"Of course, you'd want to keep the apology in private." She smiled. He looked over at her and laughed nervously when he saw she was joking.

"I'm sorry about how I reacted last night. You were clearly just helping a friend in need and I freaked out over nothing." He said. "You're a good woman and I'm sorry to imply you're anything but."

Nick made her more cynical in her old age. "Did you call your mother and say we were having problems?"

"She called and I implied we may be having problems." Kenneth smiled. "So, she said give in to whatever your demands are and make up."

She laughed. "Oh cheese and crackers." She nodded. "Sounds like bunny parents."

"Yeah…either way she was right." He said. "I wasn't thinking about you. I immediately got jealous. I offered my place out of jealously and not because Nick needs help. So, I am going to make it up to both of you. If you guys let me."

Judy looked over at him. "In what way?"

"I would like to help you guys find the cameras if there any more beyond the bedroom." He said. He looked at her before turning back his attention to the road. "You and he both are hurt by what the vixen did. I didn't mean to diminish his feelings. He's going to be a permanent fixture in your life and hopefully by extension mine. I'm willing to try to be friends with him as well."

"I'll ask Nick." She said. She wasn't sure how she felt by his last statement, but she'd see where it'd go before making up her mind. "It's more up to him."

She really didn't want Kenneth to be involved, but Nick didn't make it seem like he was afraid of Zoe…he was just angry with her. The cameras were a sign she could be dangerous, but maybe she was just…what was Judy even trying to argue with herself. She was a psychopath. She threw a chair at Nick…and other things he didn't want to tell her. Was it worse than what the scouts had done?

"Kenneth, I talked to Nick last night." She said shaking away her thoughts for the time being. The black bunny looked at her, listening. "It sounds like they were in an abusive relationship together at some point. When she tried to get him back months ago she threw a chair at him when he rejected her. She could be dangerous. You're a civilian. I don't want to endanger you."

"You got Nick involved in the night howler case." Kenneth argued. "He wasn't an officer then."

"It was different." She said. "He…"

"He what?' Kenneth asked.

"He had vital information that helped me solve the case. He was a key witness in finding Mr. Otterton." Judy said. "Without him I had no leads. He saved my job and my life. This…we don't need you to find the cameras. We know who did it. We just need to find out more about what was done. Did she record us or just watch us?"

"If she recorded you guys…" Kenneth started.

"If she decided to do anything with the footage we could lose our jobs." She said. "You know that interspecies relationships are looked down on. The ZPD is starting to progress by letting in animals they traditionally have not before, but I'm not sure how they will react to Nick and I sleeping together. It's not just that we're not the same species. We're partners on the job. I want to get this figured out before it comes to that."

Kenneth nodded. "I still want to help you, Judy. I care about you and I want to make sure that you're safe and that you can keep the job. I haven't known you long, but I know how much it means to you."

Judy nodded. "Thank you. I'm sorry about all this."

They drove in silence for a few moments. Judy looked out the window. She didn't even know where he was taking her.

"Judy." She heard Kenneth sigh. "Listen, I thought about what you said last night. I know you've been with animals before me. You're not a nun and I do think you're right. I did take more of an issue with it because Nick is a fox."

Judy looked at him. "Did?"

"I may…I still do on some level." He said. "I thought I was progressive, but that's because I didn't have it in my face. It's easy to say you're progress when you don't have to deal with real animals. Such as Bunny cops, good foxes, and interspecies relationship. I don't have to deal with it even with the patrons at the bank or my employees because it isn't on a personal level. I don't get involved in any groups or have many friends outside of my circle of like-minded friends and family. And we're pretty closed minded in actuality, but preach progressiveness. You made me face that last night when you called me out on my attitude about your past relationship with Nick."

He looked over to see Judy's reaction. She stared at him in bewilderment. "I'm sorry. I promise to be better. Not just try."

She smiled and gave a small snort laugh. "You serious?" she asked.

"Yes, I am." He said. "Dead serious. I want to help you guys."

Judy breathed out. "Fine. But it's still on Nick. It's his apartment."

"I'll respect whatever he wants." Kenneth said.

They drove to a little pastry café and picked up various donuts and muffins. Judy made sure to buy Nick a blueberry muffin and a blueberry bagel. On the drive back Kenneth tried to make pleasant small talk. "Nick likes blueberries I take it."

She laughed. "He does. It has managed to save our lives too." She went into details about the night howler case.

"Are you serious? He just switched them in the gun?" Kenneth exclaimed. He seemed like he was enjoying the little details that were left out to the public. More so because of tedious reasons than it being considered a secret.

"Yep." She said. "He will do weird things like that and it just works. He always has at least four plans in case one doesn't work out. He probably has more he just doesn't tell me about. He's…a swift fox…well…he's not that kind of fox…"

"I get what you mean." He said. "How did you two meet anyway?"

"That's too long of a story for the short drive we have." Judy said.

She didn't want to disclose Nick's past to Kenneth. Partially because she wanted Kenneth to not have any reasons to go back to disliking Nick based on his species and because that wasn't her story to tell. They finally arrived back at her apartment. Kenneth and Judy carried the boxes of the stuff they bought up the stairs to her apartment.

Finnick was walking down the stairs. "Good morning, Finnick!" Judy greeted him.

He stopped walking to look at her and Kenneth. "Morning." He said gruffly and walked down the stairs.

"Who's that?" Kenneth asked watching the little fennec fox walk down the stairs.

"That is Finnick." She said. "He is Nick's oldest friend. I don't know how they met, I don't know what they have in common, and I don't know what they do together when they hang out or what they even talk about. He doesn't talk much to me. To be honest…I'm not sure he talks much to anyone other than Nick…least I'm guessing they talk at all."

Kenneth gave her a questioningly look. She shrugged and unlocked the door to her apartment.

"Just in time, Carrots." Nick was buttoning a plume shirt. He put on the same tie he always wore regardless of whatever he changed into. "Hey, Carrots, do you still have that fox repellent from when we first met?" he looked up and saw Kenneth. He put his hands in his tan pant pockets. "Good morning, Kenny. Good to see you again so soon."

Kenneth looked at her. "Fox repellent?"

"Long story." Nick said. Kenneth gawked at the fox and the rabbit. Nick looked back at Judy. "Well, do you?"

"No," she said. "I don't. I got rid of it after…the one fight…"

Nick shrugged. "Not a problem. I can go get some before we head over to my place. Too bad you didn't take that fox Taser from your dad."

She thought to question why he needed fox repellent and a fox Taser, but decided against it. She had something else she wanted to ask. Nick went back to looking through a bag that was set on Judy's bed. She noticed he had made it. It looked like they had never slept in it together. Last night must have been a dream. All she remembers is falling asleep holding his hand. "Speaking of heading over to your place. We actually have a question to ask you about that."

Nick looked back at her. "Yes?" He slipped something in his pocket she didn't quite see.

"I would like to accompany you and Judy to search your apartment." Kenneth asked. Nick gaped at him and looked at Judy. "Before you protest my argument is that a third pair of eyes doesn't hurt."

"Well, your eyes should be good. You've eaten carrots your whole life." Nick smiled.

"Nick!" Judy exclaimed. She and Nick often made specie jokes, but that was in the private of their…the private of their separate apartments.

"Sorry." Nick said. "No pun intended." He shrugged happily.

Judy let her shoulders slump to one side. "Behave." She growled at him. Nick smiled. One of his arms was on top of his chest and the other his hand under his chin.

"Fine, Carrots. I'm sorry." Nick looked at Kenneth. He let his arms down. "I apologize. That was inappropriate and inconsiderate of me. I appreciate the help."

Judy looked at Nick and smiled. "So, he can come?" she asked.

She took the box of pastries from Kenneth. She walked over to the table and set the box down. She opened the bag and set three plates down and began putting some of the pastries on the plates according to the preference of the three animals.

"I don't see why not." He said. "Do you want him to come?"

Nick walked over to Judy. He took the donut off the plate she meant for herself. She smirked at him shaking her head. He smiled impishly. He took a bite and sat down on the bed. She gestured at the blueberry muffin. "I see." He said. She rolled her eyes.

"He and I already discussed…the complications of him coming." She responded to his question. She picked out another donut for herself. She walked over and handed a plate to Kenneth.

"Oh?" he said. Nick looked at Judy. She shrugged. Kenneth noticed that they seemed to be silently communicating. After a few moments, Nick turned to look at Kenneth. "You good, Kenny?" He looked at the black rabbit. Judy walked over to the bed and sat next to Nick. Judy gestured to the chair of the table for Kenneth to sit down.

"It's fine." Kenneth said. He carefully watched the interaction of the fox and the rabbit. They seemed to move effortlessly together. He walked over and joined the small group. "I want to apologize for last night as well."

"What did you do?' Nick said. He tiled his head in confusion.

"I treated you discourteously." Kenneth said. "I didn't give you or Judy enough credit."

Nick looked from side to side and laughed timidly. "Kenny, we all had a terrible shock yesterday. Water under the bridge."

"It's not to me." Kenneth started.

"I'm going to stop you right there, cottontail." Nick said.

Judy slumped at him. She hit his arm. Nick looked at her with a bewildered look on his face gesturing his hands out towards Kenneth. "In the grand scheme of things. I've had so much worse done to me than someone driving me to their girlfriend's apartment. I'm just saying."

Nick looked at Kenneth. "Listen to me, Kenny. Whatever it is you think you did wrong, you didn't do it. You may have felt a certain way, but I didn't know about it until just now when you told me. Therefore I take it as you did nothing to me. I know what I am. I know what others think of me. It's when they decided to act on those thoughts that's when we have a problem. You and me, cottontail…we don't have a problem. I am not going to make it a problem as long as you don't make it a problem."

Kenneth nodded. "I understand that, Nick." He said. "I am working on those thoughts. And I will not act on any thoughts that do occur. I want to put that much out there."

Nick nodded. "Okay. We have a deal." Nick leaned forward and held out his hand. Kenneth looked down at it. He slowly reached for Nick's hand with his own and shook it. Nick jumped off the bed. "Okay, now we're in business. If you guys are not done eating, then I'll run to the store around the corner and be back in a flash…like fast…not…"

"Just go." Judy said grumpily. "We'll be down in a second. You don't have to come back up."

Nick smiled and saluted Judy. He grabbed the bag off the bed and took it with him. Judy shook her head looking at the closed door.

"Dumb fox." She said. "Sorry." She out her head in her hands. He looked at Kenneth.

Kenneth shrugged it off. "He's definitely got a personality on him."

"You haven't even seen the half of it." She smiled. Despite the fact that she felt the apology session Kenneth clearly wanted to have could have gone better. She knew Nick would have never allowed it. Perhaps she should have warned Kenneth. "It gets even better." She did warn him of that. Judy wanted to say something to Nick about shoving Kenneth's apology away, but she knew to pick her battles with him. She loved him for it.


	4. Chapter 4

When Judy and Kenneth walked to his car they found Nick already waiting for them there. Judy noticed he had a particular smug look on his face. It's the smug look that he gets when he accomplishes something simply because he had the opportunity to. He jumped when the car beeped signifying it was unlocked. He looked at the car and opened the passenger door. "Officer Hopps." He gave Judy a small bow while he held the door open.

She giggled. She took his extended hand that was meant to help her into the car. Nick smiled and nodded at Kenneth before sitting in the backseat assuming he had permission to do so. Kenneth got in the driver's seat and got ready to take off.

Nick buckled the seatbelt and put the bag he was carrying beside him. The drive was silent except when Judy gave Kenneth directions. Judy looked ahead wishing she could see her fox. Though he probably wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary. She wanted to ask what was up with his behavior this morning. He's acting so different than last night. She liked the Nick from last night. The one that was real with her. This Nick was a horrible flashback. He was acting normal, but not normal. She now sees the façade he puts on when he's on edge or simply posturing. This was his "Never let them see they get to you" front. Her concern increased the more time progressed.

She also wondered how he was coping with Kenneth being here. Granted, his outburst was expected on some level on her part, but he did seem to be disassociating from the situation all together. A slow realization dawned on her. Judy cursed herself silently. She was being selfish. It's not all about her and Kenneth, He may be acting like that because he's going back to his house. The very house that had been violated by an ex-girlfriend…an abusive ex-girlfriend. He had every reason to try to disassociate himself from the situation. This made her worry about Nick more. What she wouldn't give to reach back and hold his hand like they had done last night. She was determined to get to the bottom of this.

When they finally got to the apartment building. Nick immediately grabbed the bag and put it on his shoulder, got out of the car and opened the door for Judy. She took his hand. "Nick, we need to talk." She whispered.

"About what?" He whispered back. His face full of confusion.

"What is going on with you." She said. "Whatever it is with Zoe, you can tell me."

"Judy…Carrots, please." Nick said. He let go of her hand and tried to step back. Judy grabbed at his arm and pulled him down. The bag on his shoulder slid off. Nick grabbed the strap. He turned to look back at her. "It's not stuff you want to hear."

"I need to hear it." Her voiced lowered. "I'm making myself sick with worry."

"We'll fix this, Carrots." He reassured her. "Everything will work out."

"That's not what I'm talking about, Nick. Don't shut me out." Judy pleaded with him.

"Judy, we can't do this now. Not out in the open on the street." He said. Judy was about to say something when Nick interrupted, "Judy, Carrots, please."

Kenneth cleared his throat. Nick pulled away from Judy. He put the bag on his shoulder. "Not now, Carrots." He said sternly.

Nick turned away from Judy in a concluding manner. Judy thumped her right foot in frustration. She folded her arms across her chest. She couldn't stand him shutting her out. Granted, she knew why, but he had been doing it for a while now and she hated it. She liked knowing what was going on in his head…in his life. This was important. She wanted to know…needed to know. She had to protect him from whatever this was. She didn't want him reverting back to his mask he wears to hide himself.

"You coming, Carrots?" Nick broke her thoughts. She saw Kenneth and Nick already at the doorway to the apartment building Nick lived at. She caught up to them and Nick let them in.

On their way up the stairs Judy saw a vixen hanging in the doorway to what must be her own apartment on the same floor as Nick's place. The vixen looked right at her and nodded. Judy did the same. The vixen turned to Nick. "Officer Wilde." She greeted.

"Good morning, Miss Val." Nick smiled.

Judy noticed how the vixen blushed at the way Nick called her "miss." She took another look at her. She was a white fox with golden eyes. She was a petit thing wearing an ice blue dress. Judy noted she was beautiful.

Suddenly the arctic fox dropped the formalities. Judy hadn't noticed that she and Nick had been talking. "Hey, other than Officer Hopps." She gestured to Judy. "Does anyone else have your keys?"

Nick tensed. "No, Val. I haven't given it out to anyone else." he said tightly.

She nodded. "I didn't think so. I saw someone snooping around earlier this week. I didn't see you or I would have told you sooner. I just wanted you to know."

"Thanks, Val." Nick said. "I appreciate it."

She nodded silently before shutting the door. She kept her eyes on Nick until the door concealed her. Nick looked back at the two rabbits before heading towards his apartment door. He let them in.

"Well, I'd give some cliché about apologizing for a mess, but to be honest. As you see, this place is spotless." Nick said.

Judy looked around. It looked like Nick's apartment as always. It wasn't "spotless" but it wasn't dirty either. She walked into the Livingroom and set her purse on the couch like she had normally done in the past.

Kenneth on the other hand stayed by the door. He looked around silently, almost in a nervous manner. "Come on in." Judy said cheerfully. "Make yourself at…home."

Nick looked at her. She felt herself blushing a bright shade of hot red. She had been in this very apartment so many times and acted like she owned it. Now that she and Nick were no longer a couple so to speak, she now found herself in the awkward position of learning how to behave here now.

Nick spoke up. "She's right, Kenny. Make yourself at home. I promise I won't bite."

Kenneth nodded and walked into the apartment a little more. "Okay…so, here's my game plan…" Nick started.

"Who is Val?" Judy asked. She suddenly wanted to know more about the vixen. It was starting to feel like Nick didn't share much with her anymore. It was starting to make her crazy. "I just don't remember seeing her before…but she knew my name."

"Everyone knows your name, Carrots." Nick said smiling.

"But she knew you gave me a copy of your house keys." She said to Nick.

"She was here when I moved here and, therefore has probably seen you come and go as you pleased." Nick said. Judy looked at him.

Nick sighed. "I walk her home from work when she closes sometimes. She works at the grocery shop just down the street. One day I was in there shopping and there was this creepy badger bothering her. I was in uniform…so I thought I'd use my good looks to help her out. I asked if she was going to be okay when the guy left and she told me that sometimes he waits for her when she closes the store to…accost her as she is trying to go home. So, I told her I'd walk her home to make sure she got home safely. At the time I didn't know we were neighbors."

"Make no mistake, regardless of the reason why it started, she gives as good as she gets. But sometimes she's afraid to walk home by herself at night and if I know about it, I'll still walk her home every once in a while." Nick said. "I didn't tell her about the house keys, but she probably guessed with the amount of times you'd come here and I wasn't here. She also knew about us. We talked when we walked home together. I look out for her and now apparently she looks out for me too. We're just being…neighborly." He put his hand in his pockets.

"That's an old fashioned notion." Kenneth said.

"Yeah," Nick agreed. "It kind of is. Are you satisfied?" he looked back at Judy.

"Yes. Sorry." She said.

"I understand." Nick said. "Anyway, let's get the show on the road."

Judy nodded with a certain determination. She wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. She also wanted to prove she could look out for Nick as well. She could equally protect him. She started for the bedroom. Nick blocks her way with a step.

"What are you doing, Carrots?" he asked. "Boundaries." He looked at Kenneth. "I'm going to go get the cameras in the bedroom so you guys know what you're looking for."

Nick disappeared. Judy felt stunned that Nick wouldn't let her in his bedroom anymore. She couldn't unsee his bedroom. She knew it was inappropriate now, especially with Kenneth there. She just wasn't use to this…distant status with Nick now. This friend zone of sorts. She rubbed her arm for lack of a better thing to do.

"You okay, Judy?" Kenneth asked.

"Yeah. I just want this over with." She said. "So everything can go back to normal." She wasn't sure what she was actually referring to.

Nick came out of his room quickly, shutting the door behind him. He handed Judy a small camera connected to curled up cords. He had a few in his hand. She took one from him and studied it. This little thing is what is causing them so much grief now. She could hardly believe it. She handed it to Kenneth when he walked over to them.

"Okay, so Judy take the bathroom. Kenny, you take the Livingroom and I'll take the kitchen." Nick said. They both nodded and followed suit.

Ultimately, they find nothing after a couple of hours of search and re-searching, uncovering new things not thought of the first time. Nick was pretty much giving up on the notion that the cameras moved beyond the bedroom. Judy was determined that she wasn't going to stop until she found something. Kenneth on the other hand, he was starting to agree with Nick that there was nothing there. He removed a couch cushion just to check it out to be thorough, but didn't expect to actually find anything. The thing that he did find shocked him into silence for a brief moment.

Kenneth picked up a lacey red undergarment. It was small, therefore had to be Judy's.

Nick noticed Kenneth's frozen frame and denoted it when the rabbit's hand started to shake. Nick took a deep breath and immediately walked over to see what he had found. When the red garment came into view Nick never blushed so acutely in his life. His face felt hot with embarrassment.

"Oh…well." Nick cleared his throat. He took the undergarment from Kenneth's hand. "Sorry about that. I didn't see that one." He said. He mentally slapped himself when he realized what he said.

"That one?" Kenneth said bewildered. "You have more."

"Well, kind of." Nick got a bag from the kitchen and stuffed the undergarment in there. He set it on a counter that was in between the kitchen and the living room. He stayed on the side that separated him and Kenneth. "Over the last few months I've been finding stuff that Judy has left behind. I just put it in a bag thinking I'll give it to her the next time I see her and just keep forgetting to bring it with me as well as…finding more of her things."

Nick looked up at the stunned rabbit. Nick thought the guy was going to have a mental breakdown…or worse start yelling. "Hey, Kenny..." Nick said. He was trying to apologize, but was unsure how to apologize for that. He technically did nothing wrong…except make the one comment…but still.

Kenneth stood there in silence for a moment. Nick was starting to get worried that the rabbit would explode. "No, it's fine. It's to be expected that she'd leave some stuff behind here." Kenneth looked down at the cushion he moved. He put it back.

Nick looked towards the small hallway where his bedroom and the bathroom were. "Hey, Kenny." He said somewhat softer than his normal tone. "I'm not trying to flaunt my past relationship with Judy. It's in the past. This was an accident." He gestured to the bag that contained the underwear.

"I know that." Kenneth snapped. "It's just a little unsettling to find my girlfriend's underwear in another man's couch is all. You must know how that feels."

"Not first hand, but I sympathize with you." Nick said.

He sighed and hung his head for a second. "Sorry that came out wrong. I'm trying to be as good guy about this as I can be. I'm trying to be as distant as…a friend would be with my relationship with Judy."

"As her friend, would you have stayed over at her house?" Kenneth asked.

"Well…no. She would have come over here." Nick pointed to the couch. "And stay there. We had sleepovers sometimes after a long day…anyway." He cleared his throat again; choking on his own spite a little. "That won't happen again. It was a mistake and I intend to correct it to the best of my ability. No more sleepovers. I apologize. It was way out of line for me to stay at her apartment."

Nick softened his tone. He wanted to come across as sincere as possible. Truthfully, he was. He made a mistake in staying at Judy's apartment last night. This morning he realized it when he read the note she left him stating she was out with Kenneth getting breakfast. He knew he had to go back to strictly being her friend. They hadn't done anything since slightly before she started dating Kenneth, but they didn't exactly hide the fact they still had feelings for each other. Last night was case in point and it needed to end. He decided that morning he was going to start acting like her friend and only her friend from then on.

Kenneth looked like he was considering Nick's apology. "Nick, I am trying to equally be as "good guy" about this as I can be too. To be frank, I don't like this. I knew you two were close by the way she talked about you, but I didn't realize it had been that type of close."

Nick watched the rabbit's body language. He was stiff and clearly trying to maintain some self-control. Nick wasn't going to provoke him in any way. "We haven't done anything while she's been seeing you. She stopped coming here before you ever even asked her out on a date."

"I'm not accusing either one of you of it." Kenneth growled. "Listen, I want to be friends. Or as close to friends as we can be. Last night Judy made it perfectly clear you were a package deal. I realized very quickly she'd choose you over me. I don't want to lose her. So, I have to make peace with you. I am going to do just that." He vowed.

Nick gave a small nod. "I'll equally try at this friend's thing too. I want her to be happy. I want Judy to have a normal life. One where she doesn't have to keep everything a secret. I can't give her that life. I can't give her a white picket fence, children, or anything like that or close to that assuming she wants anything like that at all. You can do that."

"Okay." Kenneth acknowledge Nick.

"So, we're on the same page?" Nick asked.

Kenneth sighed. "Seems so."

Both men stopped talking and tried to look natural when Judy came slumping into the room. She looked beyond defeated. She truly wanted to find something. Not that she wanted to find Nick was being watched in other places in his apartment. She just wanted to feel useful; like she could watch out for him too. She didn't even find anything unusual in the hallway closet.

"What's wrong, Carrots?" Nick asked in a worried tone.

"Nothing." She sat on the couch. "I didn't find anything. It just makes me nervous."

"Same here." Nick sighed. "But, I guess we can count that as a blessing."

Nick looked at the bag sitting in front of him on the counter. He picked it up and brought it over to Judy. He set it in her lap.

"What is this?" she asked. She opened the bag and looked inside.

"It's stuff you left here." He said. He took his place at the counter again allowing a physical separation between him and the two rabbits.

Nick could tell by the blush on Judy's face that she saw the amount of underwear left around his place was the first thing she noticed. She left other things too like shirts and other toiletries. She suddenly noticed a bottle she didn't recognize as being hers...that she remembered bringing here anyway. She picked up the face wash and immediately smiled. She looked up at Nick and he too was smiling at her. The particular bath set she could only get in Bunny Burrow. She had not been able to find it in Zootopia at all. She always stocked up whenever she went back home to visit. She also knew for a fact that she hasn't had any of this brand in a while.

"I found it at some ma and pa shop." Nick shrugged. "I thought you should do something about your face." His smile became impish.

She laughed and scrunched her face at him. "Dumb fox."

"Sly bunny." He teased right back. He noticed Kenneth's irritated look immediately changed the subject. "Well, thank you guys for wasting your Saturday here." He clasped his hands together in front of him.

"Nick, it wasn't a waste." Judy rolled her eyes. Kenneth sat beside her. Nick took note of what the gesture meant.

Nick shrugged. "I guess. Anyway, that brings me to the next bill of housekeeping. Carrots, I need your set of keys back."

"What?' she asked. She immediately began to protest. "Why?" Her reaction made Kenneth jump at her outburst. He looked at his girlfriend baffled by the strong reaction.

"I am calling a locksmith, rendering your set of keys useless." Nick said. "I am changing the locks. Zoe obviously has a key as we discussed. I am putting a stop to that now. I'll just have to guard my house keys better for the time being. Finnick is finding out what he can about where she is staying and more about the cameras."

Nick put his head in his hands, setting his elbows on the counter. "It may take some time, but we'll just have it wait it out."

"Why is Finnick doing that?" Judy asked. "We're the cops."

"This isn't an official case. Legally, unless we go to Bogo about this and we can't go to him, we can't do anything, Carrots. We couldn't even be able to do anything if we did go to him because we're the victims here. Someone else would have to take over." Nick said. "We have to use alternative means to get the information we need. Finnick can help us. If it turns out they're just web cams and she didn't record anything, I'll just have to be more careful in the future."

"You'll just have to be more careful?" Judy gawked at him. "What about justice? What she did was wrong!"

"If we are found out, many will also believe what we did was also wrong." Nick said. "We may have to cowboy this one, Carrots. Granted, there isn't much you and I can do about her on a legal level, but we can ruin things for her."

"What do you mean?' she asked sharply.

"She's a conman…conwoman." Nick said. "If we ruin her reputation amongst…other like-minded animals, she won't have many options left. She'll have to find a sugar daddy and stick with that one. I've seen a few criminal careers ruined in my day. Including some of my own ties long before you, Carrots." Nick said. "You can't go back from that…least most don't."

He was referring to the Big family. The only reason he was on good terms with them now is because of Judy. "If we ruin her reputation no one else will want to work with her. That's where Finnick and some of my old contacts come in."

Nick smiled suavely. "I've got a plan, darling."

Judy folded her arms and her expression stern. "I don't like it, Slick Nick."

Nick inhaled at the name she called him back when he was a comman. "We're careful. I'm careful. Always have been. I told you. I've been doing this since I was 12, Fluff."

Kenneth watched the fox and the rabbit in confusion. He wasn't sure he wanted to understand the conversation. He looked up at the fox.

Judy fumed a little at the nickname. "I just want you to be safe." She said. Her voice and face softened.

"I am safe, Carrots." Nick said. He went back to using his affectionate nickname for her. "I know what I am doing. It's just a waiting game for us now. The worse game in history." Nick sighed. "Finnick will come through."

"I don't doubt him." Judy said. She looked down at her bag in her lap.

"Alrighty then." Nick clapped his hands together. He immediately changed the subject again. "Now that we got that squared away. I think we're good."

"Sounds good to me." Kenneth perked up. He looked over at Judy. "Why don't we go out since our date was cut short last night?"

"I don't know." Judy said. She looked over at Nick, and then back to Kenneth. "I don't want to leave Nick alone at the apartment."

"Huh?" Nick said. "Who's apartment?"

"Mine." Judy said markedly. "I don't want you staying here by yourself. She still has a key and the locks aren't changed yet."

"I'm getting the locks changed as soon as possible." Nick argued with her. "And for the record, I've been in worse situations than this."

"Things are different now." She said. "You don't have to be alone anymore."

"I'm not alone." Nick said. "And I'm not staying at your place again. The cameras have been removed. She's had a key for this long and I never knew about it."

"Now she knows you know, Nick." Judy pleaded. "She may try to do something now."

"She won't." Nick shook his head. "I know her. I honestly can handle myself."

"I'm not saying you can't." she said. "I don't want to leave you here with her out there. She threw a chair at you!"

"She's done worse!" Nick shouted. He immediately regretted his words. Judy straighten her back at his words. Nick scrambled to recover. "She put up cameras in my bedroom. She watched us together. That is so much worse than throwing a chair at me. Judy, I'll be fine. Don't argue with me on this. I've dealt with stuff like this before. I know what I am doing."

Judy was beyond furious. She knew she needed to calm down before she tried to talk to Nick about this. "Fine. Okay." She said. She sucked her lips together. "You call me if you need help."

"I will. I promise." He said. Nick leaned forward, his forearms now on the table. "Well…last thing and I'll let you guys go."

Nick got the bag that Finnick had brought to him earlier that day with a change of clothes. Nick set it on the counter and opened it. He took out some small bottles and handed two of them to Kenneth and Judy. The two rabbits looked down to see fox repellent in their hands.

"What is this?" Judy asked exasperated.

"Well…Zoe knows that you two know as well I know about the cameras." Nick said. "I want you both to be safe as well. I got you guys these to help you protect yourselves…I even got some for myself…"

"You went to the store and bought fox repellent?" Kenneth gaped at the fox.

Nick laughed. He rubbed the back of his neck before folding his arm across his chest. "You should have seen that poor cashier." He said. "The look on his face…he was a rabbit too…It was priceless." Nick laughed a little harder at the memory.

Judy arched her body in annoyance. She wasn't too thrilled about owning fox repellent again, but she couldn't argue with Nick. What if she or Kenneth did run into Zoe randomly on the street?

They finally said their goodbyes leaving Nick alone in his apartment much to Judy's disdain. "Kenny." Nick handed Kenneth a piece of paper. The black rabbit looked down to see it was a phone number. He looked back up at the fox and smiled contently. Judy looked at them with a curious expression.

"Just in case." Kenneth said to her. Nick shrugged.

"This is really cool you guys." She said smiling. "Goodbye, Nick. Take care of yourself. Call if you need anything." She reminded him. "I'm serious."

"Will do, Carrots." Nick said.

Judy got into the passenger seat of the car. Kenneth got in and set the fox repellent on the dashboard. "When you said it'd get even better…I'm not sure I believed you at the time." Kenneth said bewildered. "I feel like Déjà vu, but what just happened?"

His head felt it was spinning. He had so many questions about the last conversation they just had. What was that about Nick's old contacts? Was he a conman before he was a cop? It certainly seemed so. Why would Judy want to be with a guy like that? He wanted to ask, but when he looked at Judy he decided not to. She looked too discouraged to quiz her about her past lover right now.

"I'm not too sure." Judy said.

"Well, anyway." Kenneth said. "Let's get some take out. We can head to either your place or mine and we can hang out for a while."

"I'm not hungry." Judy said. "I actually feel a little sick. This whole thing…makes me sick."

"Judy, he said he'd be fine." Kenneth said.

"I know what he said." Judy said in a monotone voice. "It's not going to stop me from worrying about him." She looked at her boyfriend.

"I know." Kenneth said. "We could make the offer again…for him to stay at my place." He said he'd try and even though it seemed harder said than done, he was going to stick to it. Nick did give him his phone number.

"He won't go for it." She said. "He was very adamant that he was staying here." She sighed and leaned against the window of the car and looked at Kenneth as he drove. The sun was high in the sky. It was the early afternoon. She was getting a headache. "Hey, Kenneth…do you still want to catch a movie?" maybe she could use a movie to relax a bit. She knew she couldn't spend the whole day…and night worrying over Nick in her one room apartment.

Kenneth smiled. "Yeah, sure. Got anything in mind?"

"You decide." She said.

After the movie Kenneth and she sat at a café eating ice cream and talking about the movie and nothing else in particular. She was feeling calmer. Finally it was beginning to get dark, Kenneth took her home. He walked her to her door and kissed her on the cheek before leaving. Judy opened her door and locked it behind her. She took off her purse and flung it on the bed. She started to pull her dress when she noticed something on her bed that wasn't there when they had all left that morning.

It was a single yellow lily with a note attached:

To: Nick

From: Zoe


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** I read so many freaking abused girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives...and so on real life stories...I kind of formatted Nick's story on how the majority of the stories I read and how they told theirs in real life format wise. All I can say is, protect yourselves, guys. I know in some cases it couldn't be helped like they weren't like that until after marriage and I know sometimes it just sneaks up on you and you have no idea what to do when it happens, but please guard yourselves. Sorry if that sounds odd...the way I phrased that.

Again, thank you guys for being so patient. Thank you for reading.

All mistakes are mine alone.

Chapter 5

Judy was frozen at first. She was so stunned by what she saw that no thoughts, feelings or anything that indicated she was alive registered outwardly. She was a stone statue. Then the anger began to creep upon her. She was livid. How dare she? How dare this vixen break into her apartment and harass Nick and herself here?

"Nick!" she said out loud in a panic. Zoe followed them here back to Judy's apartment. She knew Nick was here. She must have known they'd go to his apartment today. She was following them. Judy panicked. She grabbed her purse and ran out the door, barely locking it. Not that it seemed to matter anymore. She left Nick by himself in an apartment that Zoe had the key to. She must have followed them there and know Nick is alone. She ran through the streets not even bothering to try to take a subway or a taxi. She just had to get to Nick and nothing else was running through her mind.

She ran blindly, only barely dodging animals in her way. She tried a short cut by running down an alley way that would put her right outside Nick's apartment and found herself unable to stop herself from running into someone else also walking through the alley. She ran into them with a powerful force causing them both to hit the ground. Judy looked up to realize that it was Val. She wasn't in the pretty ice blue dress she was wearing earlier. She was in black pants and a dark green uniform shirt for the grocery store she worked at.

"Val!" she put her hand on her mouth. She rushed over to help the fox up. "I am so sorry."

Val looked at the bunny stunned. "Officer Hopps?" she breathed. "I'm so glad it's you who did that." She giggled. She allowed Judy to help her up with a groan. "I thought it was…someone else." Her voice pained.

Judy felt ashamed that she had frightened and hurt the poor fox. "Are you on your way home?"

"Yes. I had the closing shift at the store." She said. "It seems to be coming a regular thing again. I'll have to ask the manager about that." She added quietly.

Judy nodded. "Are you going to Ni…Officer Wilde's?" The white fox asked confused.

"Yes, I am." She said. She felt the urgency she had before, but felt since she tackled this poor woman to the ground she should at least show some courtesy to her.

"I thought you were staying over…" she said clearly embarrassed.

"Oh…"Judy said. They began to walk together. "No. I was here helping him look for something, but then my boyfriend and I left."

"You're seeing someone else now?" The white fox inquired. "Oh, that was rude of me…and none of my business…sorry."

They were finally getting closer to the building. It felt so sloth-like to Judy. "Is that why you didn't ask him to walk you home tonight?" she asked almost immediately after Val had asked her question.

They both laughed at the realization of their unmannerly behavior. "Yes, I am seeing someone else now." Judy volunteered.

"Oh. That's a shame." She said. "I'm sorry. I'm saying all kinds of things tonight. It was a long day at work."

Judy nodded. "It's okay." She looked down. "I guess it is a shame."

"For what it's worth," The arctic fox said. "I think you were as cute couple. You were good to each other. That's what it looked like anyway."

"Yes, we were." Judy said bitterly. "Too bad others wouldn't seem to think so."

Val nodded. "Yeah…it kind of stinks. I kind of wondered why you never came around anymore. He never said you guys had broken up. He still talked about you a lot. Though, it was mainly about work. That should have been my first clue."

"He talks about me?" she asked. Judy looked at the fox baffled.

"All the time still." She said. "So, when I saw you today. I thought he was having you and the other bunny over. I didn't want to bother him about walking me home."

"Even if he has friends over. You should still ask. He wouldn't mind." Judy said reassuringly. They reached the vixen's door. "Sorry again for running you down."

"It's fine. It happens." She said. "I'm just glad it was you. It was nice talking to you." She unlocked the door and let herself in. "Goodbye, and thank you, officer Hopps."

"Judy." She smiled. As soon as the door shut Judy scrambled to Nick's door. She tried to going in to find it was locked. She cursed herself silently as she fumbled through her purse for the keys. She never actually gave them back. It was too hectic earlier to think. She was too angry. She struggled to get the door unlocked. Judy opened the door to find Nick standing there with the fox repellent in her face.

Nick jumped when he saw that it was her. "Carrots! What are you doing here?" He exclaimed. "You gave me a heart attack."

Judy walked into the apartment and shut the door behind her. She noticed that Nick had a pillow and blanket on the couch. "I needed to make sure that you were okay." She turned back to Nick.

"Carrots," Nick scolded. "I told you I'd call if I needed you." He folded his arms across his chest.

"No." Judy said. She set her purse on the couch on the pillow. "Zoe was in my apartment."

Suddenly she felt Nick's hands on her. He was checking for injuries. "Judy, are you hurt? What happened?"

As much as Judy wanted Nick's hands on her, she pushed him off of her. "I didn't actually see her. She left you a flower."

Nick stilled at her words. His ears had flattened against his head, his shoulders slumped and eyes widened. Judy saw a hint of fear before Nick forced his expression to be blank. Judy immediately began to feel sick to her stomach. She was about to speak when she heard Nick ask quietly. "Was it a yellow lily?"

Taken aback, she nodded. "How did you know?"

"Yellow lilies are my mother's favorite flower." Nick said. He wrapped his arms around himself. "Zoe insisted I buy her yellow lilies because of that."

Nick stood there, staring at nothing in particular. Judy was almost startled at how fast he retreated into his head. She touched his arm and rubbed it with her thumb.

"What did she do to you, my dumb fox?" Judy whispered. She looked trying to catch his eyes.

Nick pushed her hand off of him and walked over to the couch and sat down. "It's not as bad as I am acting." He said looking away from her.

Judy walked over and took the blanket that was scrunched on the couch and moved it to sit down. "She's done worse." Judy quoted. "It's not as bad as I am acting' clearly it was as bad as you are acting. Nick, I can tell it was as bad by all I know about her right now. She threw a chair at you, which caused you to have a bruise on your face for weeks. She has seen us together without our knowledge because she put hidden cameras in your bedroom. She's stolen keys to your apartment and somehow got into mine and left a flower for you. You are camping out here on the couch as if you are waiting for her to come get you. She's obviously abused you before when you were together. Tell me, Nick." Judy begged. "Talk to me. Please, what happened to you? You say its stuff I don't want to hear, but I need to."

Nick looked at her and stared silently for a few minutes. The sides of his lips grimaced in contempt. He breathed in and breathed out. "Judy, now that you say it like that it does sound bad, but it wasn't all bad. It wasn't constant. That's the weird thing about it. She'd go through her phases where everything was great, but then something would change and she'd turn into Mr. Hyde." Nick paused. "I'm not trying to make excuses for her. All I'm saying is that it was more complicated than that."

Judy was trying to find the right way to react and nodded. "Complicated how? What could have made you stay with her for so long? How did you guys get together in the first place?" she recalled him saying it was about cons, but it just had to be more than that.

Nick looked back down at his hands in his lap and then back up to Judy. "You can't keep doing the same con over and over. Well, you can, but it has to vary with age, gender, looks and situations and it always has to evolve in order for it to continue to work in certain situations. I've had been doing it since I was 12, but the cons I did were different then compared to when you met me. I've had to change with my age and looks. I was a cute kid, but I'm a handsome man for instance." He smiled.

She wanted to maintain some serious disposition, but had to give a scrunched smile at his attempt at a joke. Nick smiled at her face, but it fell when he proceeded to continue.

"Zoe helped out with cons as I've said. This was in one of those weird transitions, were you're no longer a young man in the sense that people expect less of you because you're young. This was when you're in the chronological age where people start to question you when you don't have a family and like a bachelor's degree…or at least a masters and getting a stable job and so on. She would play my pregnant wife in a type of con we did."

When Judy gave him a questioning look he added. "It was one of those fake pregnant belly things. Anyway, we got really good at it and started making good money doing it too." Nick looked away sucking in his lips. He clap his hands together and rubbed them in his lap.

"Nick." Judy said softly. "I can handle it."

"Sorry, Carrots." Nick sighed. "This is a little awkward. This was about the time I started sleeping with her. I started to like her. We moved easily around each other and because of the stuff we were doing, physical closeness wasn't foreign. Emotional attachment began to set in as well...and yes there were sign of her…abusive behavior prior to this, but…it got complicated."

Nick paused again clearly thinking on how to say what he had to say. "One day, she took a con too far and didn't tell me about changes she made to the plan. I confronted her on it. She got really mad and she pushed me into a table. I turned around and she shoved me back into the table. The con itself had been successful regardless of what she did so she thought that it shouldn't matter, and said she thought I was saying she wasn't good enough to come up with a plan herself despite the fact we were pretty much 50-50 on planning, and she accused me of basically calling her stupid. Despite the fact that had I not been quick on my feet we would have been caught."

Nick looked at Judy to see her reaction before continued. She had a determined look on her face. "Since it had been successful in the end I let it go. I felt that maybe I was in the wrong and I over reacted. Sometimes things change when a con comes up and there's nothing you can do but to roll with it. After that first shove though, it opened the water gates. She had no problem hitting me, with her hands, with any blunt objects she could find and in some cases it didn't matter who was around."

"Finnick." Judy said. The little fennec fox knew and she doubted that Nick went to the little fox for help.

"Yes." Nick confirmed. "One time, we were all three having a night in. Finnick wasn't running cons with me at the time. He had a different partner, but he came over just to hang out. Finnick and I, even when we weren't running cons still kept in contact because to be honest…we run the best cons when we're together. So, anyway, Zoe and I started fighting about what…I can't even remember, I don't even know who started it. I could have for all I know. But she hit me with a plate. I tried to take it from her when she was going to hit me a second time with it. She took my arm and shoved me into the wall. After that she flipped personality and calmed down. I'd say it was because of Finnick, but sometimes she'd just do that. Absolute Jekyll and Hyde."

Nick went on. "A few days later Finnick caught me off guard while I was out and confronted me on what had happened. He wouldn't let it go either. I finally broke down and told him everything. It was because of him forcing me to tell him that made me face what was going on. I guess I knew one some level, but I didn't know how to get out of it at that point. She was calling the shots, running the cons, deciding who the target was. Everything. I was just along for the ride and did whatever she told me to. She'd check up on me and make I was following everything down to a T. She even followed me to the grocery store one day just to make sure I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, which started another fight as to why she just didn't go herself." Nick's voice trailed off still puzzled by that one fight.

Nick rolled his eyes. "She'd use stuff against me to get me to do things such as when I messed up on cons because I deviated from her plan, even if I had no control over it, even a little bit she'd blame me for the financial loss and how I needed to stick to her plan. She'd use other stuff to get to me. Whenever I was treated poorly by anyone she'd…enhance the severity of the mistreatment in my mind. So, I'd feel worse about it and feel like I was nothing but a sly untrustworthy fox, which I was, but she made it seem...then she'd switch again and try to make me feel better. She'd praise me on one hand, but then she'd reinforce my feelings of worthlessness on the other…It was an insane emotional roller-coaster."

Judy looked up sharply at him. "You're not worthless, Nick."

Nick looked down at her. He shifted uncomfortably. "Finnick didn't give me a choice. He told me that I was going to end the relationship. He said he'd help me out. I took it. Before he came to my aid, I didn't see a way out. I couldn't…I don't know why…I was beyond relieved. It felt like every weight in the world had been taken off of me. So, that night, Finnick drove me to our apartment we shared together. He even walked in with me while I packed some things. She yelled and threatened me the whole time, but Finnick made sure I got some stuff before it could escalate and we left."

Judy suddenly felt grateful to Finnick. She wanted to thank him for saving Nick. Though, she felt the story didn't end there. "What happened after that? She asked quietly.

Nick sat back and put his head on the back of the couch. He smiled and laughed bitterly. He shook his head in disbelief. "She started stalking me. She tracked me down at several places I was staying at and threatened me. Same thing with leaving me threatening notes and phone calls if I was stay with someone who had a phone. I'd "randomly" run into her in odd places at any time a day."

He used air quotes on the word 'random.' "What made me just know it was her who put up the cameras…I mean besides her coming to my house that one day…was how maniacal she got. She was determined to know everywhere I was, what I was doing…despite the fact I actually held my ground and tried to cut her off. She even interrupted a con and inserted herself into it trying to say we'd make a great team still."

Nick suddenly stopped. Judy had been silently watching her fox. His voice was shaky and kind of baffled sounding…like he couldn't believe what he was telling her. He sat there staring off ahead. "Then it just stopped. One day…she just never came back. I figured she found some other poor soul to abuse and moved on. Some days I still got paranoid thinking she'd come back and finally kill me or something. Even up to meeting you I still considered she'd come back…and I guess I was right."

"She won't win, Nick." Judy said. "We won't let her. Finnick won't let her. And more importantly, I won't let her hurt you. I am here for you."

Nick took Judy's hand in his. Judy squeezed it gently. She put her head on his upper arm. "I'm still waiting to hear from Finnick." Nick said. "Though…I think he is going to try to keep me out of the loop as much as possible."

She lifted her head off of Nick to look up at him. "Why?"

"He'll say it's because I'm a cop, but it's because he saw what happened last time I personally tried to do something about it." Nick said. Judy rubbed his arm with the hand that wasn't holding his. "It didn't end well for me, Carrots." Nick said with a final tone. "But it stopped…"

Judy studied his arm where she was caressing him. "You say she wasn't all bad…what did she do that was good? I'm sorry. I'm just trying to understand…"

Nick laughed quietly and looked down as if to be in a state of contemplation. "We went on this skiing thing in Tundra town. That was probably one of the fun-est days we had together." He said lamely.

Judy smiled. "I didn't know you skied."

"I don't, Carrots." Nick said smiling at her. "I'm not very good at it."

She couldn't help, but let her smiled widen. "You're lying."

"You're right." Nick said. "I've had more fun days than skiing with Zoe…but that is the one day that comes to mind when you asked specifically about her."

Judy out her head back on Nick's arm. "Thank you, Nick. For sharing this with me. I know it's hard. We'll get through this."

"Yeah, we will." He said. Judy wasn't sure if Nick believed her. She wanted to stop him from going into a stupor where he couldn't see a way out…a place beyond Zoe. "Maybe, you should stay at Kenneth's place." He said suddenly.

Judy pulled back from him. "What if she just follows me there? We can't do that to him."

Nick nodded. "Yeah, you're right." He looked down at his lap again.

"Why are you trying to ship me off?" she asked. "You keep shutting me out, letting me back in and shutting me out again."

"I am doing it because I told Kenneth I would and to be honest, Carrots, I should." Nick looked down at her. He shifted his body to face her, putting on arm up on the couch and the other in his lap. "We can't keep doing this. You're dating Kenneth now. You should be with him. I told him we wouldn't have any more sleepovers. He got really mad, and rightfully so, when he found your underwear in the couch today. You can't keep going back and forth. It's not fair to him or me. I won't be your pillow boy, Carrots."

Judy stared dumbstruck at Nick. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so aggressive. Forget I said anything." Nick put his knuckles to his mouth in thought. He looked away from her.

Judy nodded slowly. "I can't marry him." She said softly.

"He asked you to marry him?" Nick asked turned back to her looking a little shocked and set his hand back in his lap. That was fast. Guess he was serious about wanting to be with Judy for the long haul.

"Not exactly." She said. "Last night when I took you my apartment Kenneth and I had been on a date. I realized that we'd been dating for two months and I made a mental joke on how this pretty much meant I was going to marry him. Then he told me he loved me and gave me some kind of love crystal necklace thing. I thought for a second that he might propose and it made me think about what my answer would be if he ever asked. I can't do it, Nick. I know what we said…but I can't do it. I'd rather live in secret with you then have a "full married life" with him or anyone else for that matter." She mimicked his air quotes.

"You say that now, Carrots…" Nick started to say.

"Don't tell me what I want, Nick." She cut him off. "I want you. You're right. I can't keep going back and forth. It's done. We're done. I'm leaving him." She looked down at her hands in her own lap. Then she looked up at him. "Will you take me back?"

Nick gave a half smile snort while he ran his hand over his head. "God, Carrots. You know I would." Last night was proof enough that they still wanted to be together.

"Then it's settled." She said. "I'm with you now. I'll break it off with him tomorrow."

This was not the reunion she thought it'd be. She had fantasized about them throwing it all away to be together, but she figured it'd be more romantic than this. Now it feels like and odd defeated mess. She doesn't regret it. Nick was right. She couldn't keep stringing Kenneth along and Nick too. She wasn't going to do the teen romance novel thing anymore. She reached over and took his hand from his face and kissed it.

He took the same hand and touched her face. Nick leaned in close to kiss her cheek. He pulled back. "My dumb bunny. You'll be miserable." There was no malice in his tone. It was more of a disheartened tone.

"I won't." Judy said. "Believe me, Nick. I won't. We'll grow old and just be seen as old police partners that just needed each other and no one else. We'll be seen as being married to our job and be extension to each other. Other cops have done that. No one will suspect a thing. We can't have kits…so that's taken care of. I don't need kits. I have you and my work. That's all I need and want, Nick."

The red fox put his hand up in surrender. "Fine. I believe you." He smiled.

They sat there on the couch in silence again. Finally Nick broke it. "You look tired, Carrots. Go to bed." He pointed to the bedroom.

Judy nodded and realized she truly was exhausted. Today had been an emotionally draining day. "You coming?"

"No, I'll keep watch and stay here." He said. Nick sat back again against the couch. He looked tired too she noticed. He needed to get a good night's rest.

"You'll be fine." She said to him. "She won't get us in our sleep." She tried to reassure Nick and held onto his arm.

"Okay…let me phrase this less diplomatically. Not until you officially break it off with Cottontail." Nick said pulling away from her light grip. "Last night was a slip up, but we've pretty much been good so far. I don't intended to slip up anymore now. I don't want to be that type of person and I'm sure neither do you."

Judy sighed. "Yes, Nick." She smiled. "Such a gentlemen."

"Hahaha. Laugh all you want, fluff." Nick said. "But this fox, while not a gentlemen, is no pillow boy."

She laughed out loud and patted his knee. "Okay. I am going to go to bed, though." She got off the couch and looked down at Nick. "I love you."

"I love you too, Carrots." He said. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. He titled his head and let her.

"Good night." She said.

"Night." He said in return.

She walked to his bedroom and took off her clothes and crawled into his bed in nothing but her underwear. She was too tired to even think anymore. She needed to get some rest. Tomorrow was going to be another long day.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note:** Thanks again for your unwavering patience with my constant inconstant updating habits. :)

All mistakes are mine and Thanks for reading!

Chapter 6

Judy got dressed quickly when she woke up. She had a feeling of determination about her and she wanted to talk to Kenneth while she felt motivation as well as bravery to do so. She walked out of Nick's room to find him already up and setting the small table for two. Judging by the smell he apparently made some breakfast for the two. She walked over to him. "What are you doing?" she grabbed his shoulders while he was bending over setting spoons on the table.

Nick gave a surprised yelp as he jumped at the sudden contact. She giggled until he turned around fast breathing hard. Judy was surprised by the amount of fear she saw in his eyes. "Carrots!" he said. "You…startled me." He tried to recover from his reaction, but it was too late. She saw his hands tremble and he grasped them to stop it.

"I made breakfast." He moved on the other side of her go to the stove in the kitchen. He got a pot and brought it over to the table setting it on a pot holder. "I found this recipe on the internet of a carrot porridge with mango. I thought it'd be worth trying."

"Nick." She said. She folded her hands together in front of her. She hated this odd jumpy behavior that was so unlike Nick. She didn't know what was worse the "never let them see they get to you" Nick or this seemingly timid, frightened Nick.

Nick paused with his back to her when he was heading back to the small kitchen. He turned around. He still looked rather exhausted. She wondered if he even slept last night or if he was up and that's why he had time to make this type of breakfast so early. He would have had to also gone to the store to get some of this stuff. He didn't normally eat carrot based anything on his own and she hadn't been over lately. She wasn't even sure he cooked too much on his own either. He only had the cooking utensils he did because she said he needed to eat some actual meals and take better care of himself. So instead of eating out or ordering in after work they started cooking together and little by little he started acquiring cooking items with the various meals they endeavored to make.

"I made some carrot muffins too." He said. "They'll burn." He opened the oven and got a pair of pot holders and set the pan on the stove closing and turning off the oven.

"Nick." She said again, but this time she kept her tone steady instead of trying to sound concerned like the first time she said his name. She watched as the red fox's shoulder slumped.

Nick removed the carrot muffins from the pan. "I got some frosting too if you wanted to wait for them to cool down long enough for the frosting not to melt. It's like that cream cheese stuff you got last time."

Nick turned around smiling. This made Judy frown in return. Nick shrugged and proceeded to say, "I just couldn't sleep last night. So…you know how they say get up and do something when that happens. I did." He gestured to the food he made. "I think I did a pretty good job, but since you're the expert on carrots…I'll let you be the judge." He smiled half lidded looking at her trying to be as "normal Nick" as he possibly could.

Judy thumped her right foot. "Nick." She said his name for a third time. She crossed her arms across her chest.

"What…are you dieting?" Nick asked eyes going into a fake wide expression. "You look great, Carrots. I don't think you need to, but if you are I can always look up some different, healthier recipes for next time." He smiled.

She sighed, "Nick, you don't have to posture with me."

"I'm not, Carrots." He said. He let out a breath. His upright position went back to a slight slump. "I'm just trying to stay busy and not let it consume me."

"You're trying to stay busy to cover up how freaked out you are over this." She said gesturing to the breakfast he had made on the table.

"Okay. What if I am?" Nick asked. "Me telling you I'm freaked out and talking about it in circles is going to get as much accomplished as not talking about it. I bared my soul last night to you. You know how I feel, you apparently see how I feel…can we not constantly talk about it? We can do nothing until Finnick gets back to us anyway. He said he would before the weekend was over and...It is Sunday morning. So, we've got time to waste waiting. Let me cope with this my way. If you need to talk about it…I'll talk to you, but don't force me, Judy." His expression pleading with her.

Judy's face softened at the sentence, 'don't force me.' "Okay." She nodded. "You just have me worried, Nick. You look exhausted. I'm just worried."

"Don't be." Nick said. "I've got this. I'm in a better place now than I was then. I've got you here with me. Like you said. I'm not alone." He started to take the muffins out of the pan and set them on a plate on the counter to let them cool.

Judy doubted that, but she wasn't going to argue with him. He didn't sleep last night partially because he was afraid of Zoe coming to get him, but she was now certain her presence didn't help either. He probably thought he had to make sure nothing happened to Judy either. Especially since Zoe was in her apartment.

"Okay." She conceded and put her hands up. "Just promise me one thing. When I get back…please lay down and rest for a while."

Nick nodded. "Okay, fine. I will." Nick walked over to the small table and sat down.

Judy pulled out the chair she was nearby and did the same. "It smells good." She started to scoop some of the porridge into the bowl at her place and Nick followed her lead. The pretend normalcy of their actions made the situation more dominant in their minds. They ate in silence for a few moments.

"We're either hungry or have nothing to say." Nick broke the silence. He smiled softly while poking the food.

When Judy looked up he added, "My mother always says that." He smiled. She was going to respond when he continued. "Last night I was thinking…about a lot of different things. One of them being my mother. I've come to the conclusion I want you to meet her." He set down his spoon focused on his proposal.

Judy nearly choked on the bite she was on. "You…what?' she asked. She looked up at him for any sign of jest, but he was very serious.

"I'm seriously thinking of introducing you to my mother." He said. He looked down and circled the edge of the table with his finger before looking up again to see her reaction.

Judy was dumbfounded by his proposition. She almost didn't know what to say. "Nick," she half smiled. "What makes you think…?" She wasn't sure what she was even going to ask.

"I think that in the long run it'll be harder for me to cover up our relationship with my mother than with your parents." He said. "They live all the way in Bunny Burrow and she lives here in the city. I already think she was starting to suspect things before you started seeing Kenneth. Also, my mother knows a thing or two about keep big secrets. I think she'd keep ours. Now, I wanted to talk to you about it first before any decisions are made." He continued to look straight at her to emphasize how serious he was in his consideration.

"You really think she'd be okay with you dating a bunny?' Judy asked intently.

She too had set her spoon down. The entire world seemed to stop with their question of introducing one of their parents to their secret. Suddenly she understood how he must feel whenever the subject of her parents were brought up when it came to them finding out about their relationship. She felt nervous about Nick's mother knowing her son was dating a prey…a bunny more specifically.

"She encouraged me when I wanted to join the scouts." Nick said shrugged. "I would have been the only predator. She didn't try to deter me and try to make me interested in a more predator…oriented group or activity. She didn't seem to care about that and she spent a lot of money we didn't have on that uniform, Carrots. If she had a problem with prey…then I think I would have felt it before now. She's always encouraged me in all my decisions…well…most of them anyway." He smiled. "I think she'd love you. And we don't have to make any decisions today." He added the last part after a brief moment.

Judy thought about it for half a second before saying, "If you think so…then I'd be willing to give it a shot." She trusted his judgement though she still had her reservations. She was willing to think about it.

He knew his mom just like she knew her parents. She sadly wished she had as much faith in her parents as Nick did with his mom that they'd be okay with her and Nick as a couple. She'd be okay with it being a family secret…but then she'd have 275 siblings to trust with that information. She wasn't so sure her family could ever know based on that alone.

Nick smiled. "Sounds good. We'll jump off that boat when we get there, though. I just wanted to let you know my thoughts." He took another bite. "How do you like it?" he asked gesturing with his spoon to the porridge.

"I do like it. It's different." She said. "I've never thought to have carrots and mango together."

Nick shrugged. "I thought it was odd too, but I'm too sleep deprived to care." He said smiling.

"You should really take a nap." She said. "You're going to make yourself sick."

Nick acknowledged what she said, "I will." He opened his mouth to make another excuse, but found he had none to make. They went back to eating in silence.

When they were done Nick started to clear away the table. Judy started to help when Nick said, "I'm good. I'll get this one."

She smiled and nodded. "Okay." She rose to her tip toes and he leaned down when he saw what she was doing. She kissed him on the cheek. "You call me though, if you need me…or if you find out anything. I'll be back as a soon as I can."

"I will." He responded to her 'call me' order. "I'll see you when you get back." He walked back to the table and picked up the pot with the left over porridge. "I love you, Carrots." He added as she picked up her purse. She turned to look at her fox.

"I love you too, Nick." She said.

She was about to leave when Nick asked, "Carrots," she turned around to look at him. "Do you have the stuff on you?"

She jerked knowing the fox repellent was in her purse. She couldn't wait until she could throw this bottle out too. "I do." She nodded slowly.

"Good." He said. He smiled and went back to cleaning. Judy bit her bottom lip thoughtfully.

She let herself out and went straight to her apartment. She knew she needed to shower and change into a new set of clothes before talking with Kenneth. To be honest, in her moments of silence with Nick that morning she contemplated how she was going to tell Kenneth about her decision. She knew exactly how much she was going to hurt him, but she couldn't drag it out any longer than she already had with him. That's what she regretted the most about this whole thing was the fact that she had actually messed with someone's emotions and feelings. She hadn't meant to, but she did all the same.

Sighing, she opened her door surprised she had even locked it in her haste to reach Nick. She saw the yellow lily practically dead on the floor. She walked over and picked it up. Holding the decaying thing she held herself still when all she wanted was to crumple it maddeningly. She hated what it represented; Nick's painful past and fearful present. The way he had looked at her when she grabbed him that morning would haunt her for a long time. She set it on the desk in her small apartment deciding on taking it and throwing it and the note out when she left. She didn't even want to see it in her trashcan longer than need be.

She set her purse on the bed and began to pack an overnight bag. She put in some undergarments, some pajamas, a different civilian outfit, toiletries and her police uniform. She made sure she had her badge and everything she needed for work the next day. As much as she wanted to just take the bag with her, she knew she was going to have to come back for it. There was no way she was going to take her suitcase with her things in it over to Kenneth's house when it was meant for her to stay at Nick's place.

She knew that it was a lot of leg work, but she was trying to not cause a bigger fight between her and Kenneth. She felt guilty like she was trying to hide, but she had to. She needed him to hear her out before he started in on her for going straight back to Nick after their break up. She felt she should feel worse about it…have a mourning period for her relationship with Kenneth, but there wasn't any mental flashbacks to the good times they shared, their memories together, their "couple" things that was uniquely theirs…nothing. She really didn't feel anything towards it…except she was glad to be back with Nick.

She hated herself for it. Now that she was going through with the actual breakup, she realized she put near zero effort into this relationship. She was just plain mean. She didn't want to be the cause of Kenneth's pain. She didn't want to "be that person" as Nick had put it…but she wasn't sorry for getting back with Nick. She did hate how much she knew she was going to hurt Kenneth. He really liked her…said he loved her even…God, she hated herself in that very moment. This was going to be a lot harder than she cared to admit. How did she even let it get this point? She should have known better. She should have been a better bunny.

She showered and got dressed in a dark blue shirt and some jean capris pants. She grabbed a white jacket before grabbing her purse. She looked down at the flower again and slightly hesitated before picking it up. "To: Nick, from: Zoe." It read.

She scrunched her face in hatred for this vixen. She made sure she had her keys before she locked the door and left. She threw the flower in a dumpster before making her way to Kenneth's place. She knew the address despite never actually have been to his house before. It made her nervous just to show up at his place. He never actually ever invited her over before except for when he didn't want Nick to stay at her apartment. When she did finally make it to his place she shook herself as if to shake the nerves away…it didn't work.

It looked amazing and big. Nick was right. Kenneth did have money in order to have a place like this in the city. She walked up the steps holding into the strap of her purse nervously. She debated on how to let Kenneth know she was there. Did she just knock? She saw he had a doorbell…did she just ring it? Did she text him? Send him smoke signals? She decided on texting him while she stood outside his door awkwardly.

It didn't take long for Kenneth to open the door. "I was just about to text you." He said happily stepping aside to let her in.

She slowly walked into his house. Kenneth was wearing a light green shirt, dark green sweater vest and tan pants. It looked good with his black fur. It wasn't lost on her. He was still good looking and everything her parents would want for her in a mate. She mentally sighed thinking about what Nick had brought up this morning about him wanting her to meet his mother. Least she'd have one parent that knew and accepted her relationship for what it was. If the motherly vixen accepted her at all. She squared her shoulders in determination. She knew what she was there to do and there were no back slides no matter what her parents or society wanted from her.

"I want to talk to you." She said. She wanted to avoid the 'we need to talk' phrasing of what she needed to get across.

Kenneth went on ignoring her words and her stance and started talking enthusiastically. "So, this morning I went to the store and I got something for you and Nick." He said. He went one when he saw her confused face. "Don't worry about me. I already have some of my own. Come on in. Make yourself at home, Judy."

He took her elbow and started to lead her deeper into the house. He brought her to the living room. It was huge, but the colors were a lot like one would see in Bunny Burrow. It was all pastels in shades of green and blue. The entrance way had been orange and pink. She was sure the house looked like one giant Easter egg just like the houses back home.

"Go ahead and sit. I'll be right back." He said before taking off fast. She watched his form leave in a green-tan haze.

Judy outwardly sighed and sat down on the blue couch. She immediately sunk deep into the couch and was surprised at how comfy it was. She could only imagine what Nick would have thought had they taken up Kenneth's offer. She thought about when he was touching Bellwether's wool and his reaction. She smiled at the memory and how unashamed he was when he was calling it fluffy.

"What's that look for?" Kenneth's voice startled her out of her thoughts. She looked up at him and saw he was smiling rather goofily at her. Her heart sunk. He must have thought that smile was about him.

"Nothing." She said lamely. "Kenneth…"

He cut her off and handed her some black rocks. "These are for you and Nick." He said. "They are Apache Tears and they're meant for protection. They're just general protection, but that's better than nothing. I figured anything could help."

She gave a small laugh. "Thank you, Kenneth." She said. "That was really thoughtful." She needed to stay on track.

"Yeah." Kenneth said awkwardly. "Oh, by the way. You left your bag in my car. The one with the stuff you left at Nick's apartment. Let me get that before I forget it and it stays here for months on end." He jumped right back up and was back as soon as he had left. He sat down and set the bag at Judy's feet.

"Thank you, Kenneth." She said again looking down at the bag before looking back up at him.

"You know. I want to talk to you too." Kenneth said. He reached in his pocket and brought out the love crystal necklace. He held it out to her. She didn't want to take it and left it hanging there in his hand.

Judy felt devastated at the sight of the necklace. Why did he have to bring it up again? She could just hit her head against a wall in that moment. Kenneth seemed confused by her refusal to take the necklace from him, but he persisted.

"I wanted to give this to you yesterday when I apologized, but I felt that it would be the wrong time because of what's going on, but since you're here I want to give it back to you. Same deal. I love you now, Judy, but it is whenever you are ready to say it back. In the meantime, I still would like you to have the necklace as a physical manifestation of how I feel about you." He said. "I will help you get through this and I will help Nick too."

She stared at him with, what she was sure, a look of horror on her face. She could tell by the look on Kenneth's face that her expression was less than ideal.

"Judy?" he said slowly. He moved his hand holding the necklace a little closer to her as if telling her to take it.

"Kenneth…" She said hesitantly. "I've been thinking." She said even slower.

She looked at the necklace and then up to his face into his eyes. He was silently pleading with her. She could see it in those dark blue eyes that seemed to gleam beseechingly. She lifted her hand up and gently pushed his hand down to his lap, the necklace slipped from his fingers and fell to the floor. Their eyes never left each other's gaze.

"What about?" he practically whispered. His focus never faltered his eyes boring into hers.

"Us." She said in a soft tone. She broke the seeming staring contest and looked down at her hand on his.

This was the longest physical contact she has ever had with him that she initiated she realized. She never leaned into him when put her arm over her in the theatre. They held hands once while walking, but that didn't last long. She didn't allow it. She found some excuse to let go. When she took his arm that he offered her she let go the instant she saw Nick arguing with the vixen. She never hugged him first. She never kissed him. It was never meant to be. She took her hand on his and removed it. She rested the hand in her own lap. Kenneth noticed the gesture and tried to reach for her, but she pulled away.

"I want to break up." She said bluntly and abruptly. She immediately regretted her lack of diplomacy.

The look on Kenneth's face implied he wasn't shocked, but that was probably because of what had occurred between them just seconds ago, but the agonized expression was prominent on his face. "What? Why?" He asked immediately. "What did I do wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong." She said quickly. She really didn't want to say anything that implied the phrase 'it's not you, it's me.' "This weekend has put a lot of things into perspective for me. It made me think about what I really want out of my life."

Kenneth's expression remained in blank confusion. She didn't know how to continue. "I have been reflecting a lot about my relationship with you…and I don't think I can…I can't go through with it. You didn't do anything." She repeated. "I don't love you. I don't know if I ever can love you. Not like you love me. I know it sounds lame, but you deserve to be with someone who loves you the same way."

"Wait, Judy, wait." Kenneth shifted on the couch to face her better. "What brought this on? Friday night you were acting like you thought you could possibly love me."

She didn't exactly put it out there on the table that his wait for her 'I love you' back was indefinite. He may have given her the option, but he clearly wasn't expecting her to wait too long to say it back. She carefully said, "You said, 'I will wait for when you're ready…if you're ever ready' and I'm telling you I won't ever be ready. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but…I don't know how else to say it." She kept her tone low and soft.

Kenneth tried to say something, but gave up. He tried and faltered again. Judy was starting to feel anxious in the silence save for Kenneth's struggles to express what he was thinking. Suddenly his voice was a low growl that startled Judy. "It's that fox, isn't it?" he asked with a venom she had never seen in him before.

"It make sense actually." He said. His voice was normal again, but she could hear the anger in it. "It's the only thing I can think of. He tricked you into this, didn't he? You were in your apartment all night with him alone. Did he whisper sweet nothings into your ear? Charm you? Make you laugh and feel sexy. He's tricking you, Judy. Can't you see it? He's a fox. He feels nothing for you. He can't feel anything at all. You're just a vulnerable little dumb bunny to him. He's taking advantage of you and I won't stand for it. Untrustworthy, sly fox."

He spot out the word fox as if it were a bad word. Like it should never be said out loud or acknowledged. With each negative word he used in place of Nick Judy felt her temper rising. "Don't you speak about Nick that way!" she yelled cutting off whatever he was going to say next about Nick. "You know nothing about Nick or foxes in general, you small minded, bigoted bastard!" she cursed him. "It is my choice to be with Nick. I love him."

Kenneth stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her like she had grown a second head. "You what?"

"I love him." She said. She set the black rocks on the coffee table and stood up. She grabbed her purse and the bag she left in his car. "I love Nick, a fox." She leaned in closer to him emphasizing the word fox in his face. She stepped back. "I've done what I came here to do. I broke up with you. It's done there is nothing left to say let alone argue about. I'm done." She started to leave. She began to walk around the coffee table away from him when he walked to the other side and blocked her.

"No, Judy." He started to plead with her. "I'm sorry."

"No, Kenneth." She imitated his tone. "It's over. I made the decision and there is nothing else to say. I'm sorry I used you and messed with your emotions. I'm sorry I broke your heart, but there is no reason to take it out on Nick. It's all me. Nick doesn't make my choices for me. I make my choices for me. I am very capable of doing so. I know you said you'd try to see past the fact that Nick is a fox, but you clearly can't. We're done."

Kenneth stood there dumbstruck. "Judy, you have got to see where I am coming from when it comes to Nick."

"I do." She said. "I grew up in Bunny Burrow. I've heard all the stories and things we bunnies think and say about foxes. I am not a dumb bunny."

"It's more than just that." Kenneth said. "It's the fact that you put him before me. You are dating me. I'm the boyfriend, but you don't care about how I feel about this. I trust you, Judy. I know you wouldn't fool around on me. Here's the thing though. While I trust you, I don't want you sleeping in the same bed as other men. Especially Nick, an ex-boyfriend. I don't want to be put last when comes to him. I don't want to know that you see him every day at work. I don't want to know that he'd be the one you'd confide in when you've had a hard or scary day on the force. I want to be the one you come to when it gets hard. I want it to be me you come home to and tell me about your day and what you're thinking and how you feel. I love you, Judy. I want to be with you, but can't you see that asking any man to be friends with Nick is too much. More importantly because of what you did share with him."

"I didn't ask you to be friends with Nick." She said. "I asked you to understand that he needed my help. I know sleeping with him that night was wrong. I'm sorry I did that to you."

Kenneth nodded at her words. "Judy…"

"What you said just now," She cut him off before he could argue and ask for her to stay with him, "is exactly why we need to break up. I will see him every day at work and I will confide in him after a hard or scary day, partially because he was there and saw it and know what I was feeling…I will put him first. He will always come first. I won't give him up for you or anyone else. I'm sorry for leading you on. I know what I did to you was wrong and I'm so very sorry. I can't give you what you want, Kenneth. Please…let me go."

Kenneth stepped aside to allow Judy to walk away from him. She stood there staring at him. "Kenneth…I'm sorry."

"Yeah…me too." Kenneth said. The male rabbit looked away from her. Judy started to slowly walk away when Kenneth said, "Judy, please be careful. He is still a fox and you're still a bunny. Call me bigoted or whatever else you want, but I don't want to see you hurt because of him."

Angered welled inside of her due to his warning. She clenched her fist. It still came down to Nick being a fox no matter what Kenneth tried to say. Judy looked at him. "He's more than just a fox and I'm more than just a bunny." She said simply and left before Kenneth could say anything else shutting his front door behind her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** I am so not lying. I'm kind of surprised how short this is and how not a lot happens in this chapter, but it felt so self-contained that I thought if I continued on to the next section it would feel like an awkward transition. So, at the risk of having a chapter where the characters just breathe and lets life just happens as it rolls...here is chapter 7.

Thanks for reading!

All mistakes are mine. :)

Chapter 7

Judy closed the door behind her and started to walk down the street heading towards her apartment. All she wanted to do was get to Nick's and bury her face in his chest and cry. She could already feel the tears threatening to well in her eyes. She was determined she wouldn't be seen crying in public…not over Kenneth. Not over the things he said. It didn't matter. She didn't want to feel like it mattered. She sniffed just trying to get back to her apartment. If she was going to cry she'd do it there. For now, she was just fighting to keep herself from doing so on the street. She walked forward with her head held up high…least she was trying to. She wanted this odd limbo feeling to go away.

Suddenly she heard a car horn honk. She glanced up to see what it was for when she noticed Finnick's van driving slowly beside her and the small fox looking at her. "You going to Wilde's?" he asked. He noticed her mournful state. He looked at her up and down, but ultimately said nothing in that moment.

"I'm going to my apartment first then to Nick's." she said.

At this point she stopped walking and Finnick put his foot on the break and stopped. She walked forward a few steps in order to talk to him through the window. "Get in the van. I'll drive you." He said gesturing to the passenger side of the van.

Judy walked over to the other side of the van making sure no cars were coming when she opened the door to get into the van with the fennec fox. "We're going to the same place anyway." Finnick said gruffly.

"Thank you." She said. Her voice sounded more somber than normal. She breathed in deep now trying to not cry in front of Finnick. So she concentrated on breathing.

They drove for a few moments in silence when Finnick unexpectedly asked, "You okay?" he continued to look ahead as if asking the question caused him to be as equally uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said quietly setting the bag she was holding down on the ground next to her feet despite the fact she was a little too short for her feet to touch the ground. She wiped her eyes of any tears that had been threatening to fall. She hoped she was good and no more tears would actually fall. "You know…I never thought it was hard to be a fox until I met Nick." She clutched her purse that contained the fox repellent in self-contempt.

The small fox took his eyes off the road to give her a sharp look. "What's that supposed to mean?" His incredulous expression caused her to realize what she said and how it could come across…how it did come across to Finnick. She regretted saying it. Finnick turned to look back at the road in pointed silence.

Judy swallowed and shifted slightly. She had to give him an explanation of her thoughts now. She's the one who brought it up. "Well, I guess…because my parents always taught me to be afraid of foxes…to not trust them. When I was younger I thought foxes had it easier…because they're predators. How wrong I was."

She briefly thought about Gideon Grey and wondered if part of his past bullying was because he was bullied. She never particularly paid enough attention to know if that was true or not, but knowing the things that both Nick and Finnick faced almost on a daily basis in Zootopia almost made her consider that she may have not cared enough to observe if Gideon had suffered similarly when she was younger. He most likely did. She just took his bad attitude and behavior at face value. He was just a fox and nothing more. Judy looked down in shame. All at once the country fox back in Bunny Burrow didn't seem so black and white as he had before.

"Why are you talking about this?" Finnick asked sounding affronted. He clearly was putting up an invisible wall between them distancing himself from the bunny.

Judy really needed to learn when to shut her big mouth. She hoped she didn't offend Finnick too much. This is the first time she's ever been alone with him and tried talking to him…and she was pretty sure she screwed it up by talking about species and predators vs. prey. It wasn't her best move…though she wasn't sure what she could talk to the little fox about though. She wasn't even sure what Nick talked to Finnick about. Judy wrapped her arms around her body as if she were cold. She felt awkwardly guilty and embarrassed all at once.

Sucking in her lips and making a popping sound with them when she let the air go she said, "I just broke up with Kenneth and he said a few things about Nick." She rubbed her arm looking out the window at the passing city.

"You broke up with Cottontail?" Finnick asked sounding surprised as well as interested.

"Yeah." She said. "I'm with Nick again." She looked back at the small fox who just continued to look forward driving.

"No one's pillow boy-Nick took you back before the breakup?" Finnick asked in amazement. He gave a hearty laugh before glancing at her. "He must really like you, sweetheart."

She smiled. "No," she said. "He made that clear. He wanted me to break up with Kenneth first."

She remembered the night before. She was too tired then to feel rejected, but she knew that Nick was in the right for not sleeping (even if it was truly just sleeping) with her again before she broke it off with the black bunny. Granted, she doesn't have to worry about that now and she couldn't be more grateful. All she wanted to do was curl up with Nick in his bed.

"Sounds more like Nick." Finnick said.

The small fox seemed to be smiling to himself now. Anything Judy had said wrong earlier seemed to disappear from the atmosphere. Finnick made a snarky remark about Nick and it made Judy smile feeling a little relieved. They went back to that uncomfortable silence, though Judy didn't mind. She was suddenly feeling calmer now that it was finally sinking in that she was free to be back with Nick. She touched her cheek where Nick had kissed it the night before. She smiled recalling the feel of his lips as she looked back out the window. She let out a breath letting tranquility flood over her.

They finally arrived at her apartment and Judy said she'd be fast. All she had to do was grab her bag and drop off the other bag she took from Kenneth's place. When she got back into the car Finnick didn't waste any time in starting to drive again. In her dispirited state she almost forgot why Finnick would be going over to Nick's in the first place. She looked over at the small fox, who seemed to be lost in thought as he drove.

"So…did you find out anything…about Zoe?" she asked carefully. She was nervous about the answer. The fennec glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.

"I did." He said simply looking straight ahead. A feeling of dread started to form in her stomach at his tone. Though, his tone wasn't much different from normal…but it didn't help her nerves all the same.

"What is it?" she asked eagerly. She turned her body to kind of face him putting her hands together in a begging manner like she did when she asked him to tell her where Nick was back on the Night Howler case.

Finnick looked at her funny, sighed and said, "You and Wilde don't have nothing to worry about. No one's going to know about you two unless you tell them."

Judy let out a cry of relief scaring the poor little fox as he drove causing him to swerve a little, but setting himself right on track as fast as the van would allow him to gain control. He parked outside of Nick's apartment building. As soon as he turned off the car Judy hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much, Finnick!" At first he froze, but then the little fox began to struggle against her embrace.

"Don't mention it." He said trying to release himself from her grip. She let go and looked at him with a serious expression. "What?" he looked at her warily.

"I also want to thank you for helping Nick the first time around. When he was actually with Zoe." She said. "Nick told me about what happened…with the plate and you confronting him about what was going on and going to the apartment with him to let him get his stuff."

Finnick looked at her with wide eyes that made him look significantly less tough than the fox normally portrays himself. They stared at each other for a few moments before the fox looked away from her. "We should go up to Nick's." he said quietly and got out of the van.

Stunned into silence it took Judy a few seconds longer to recover from what she did and Finnick's reaction to it. She got out of the van and locked the door behind her and ran to catch up with Finnick who was already at the door to the building.

She opened the door to Nick's apartment to find him sleeping on the couch. She was glad he heeded her and was getting some rest. It was definitely a shame to have to wake him. Finnick wasted no time and walked right over and shook his friend awake. "Nick, we gotta talk."

Nick jerked awake looking at Finnick and immediately calmed down. Though he seemed too out of it to actually be alarmed. Nick glanced up noticing Judy standing a few feet away from the couch. He looked back down at Finnick. "Nice to see you too, buddy." He said rubbing his eyes. He sat up. Judy smiled at his wrinkly shirt, and his missing tie. He took it off and had set it on the table. It looked like he took it off as an afterthought the way it laid a strewn. Judy set her purse down right beside it and took her bag to his bedroom.

When she got back Finnick had already began talking to Nick. "Like I told your girl," Nick and Judy stole a glance at each other and smiled. She bit her bottom lip trying to contain her abrupt joy she felt knowing that she truly was his girl now. He was hers. It just felt so good to know.

Finnick rolled his eyes when he noticed the look the fox and the rabbit gave each other. "You two don't have nothing to worry about. She wasn't recording anything. I got Jared to be sure…"

"You asked for Jared's help?" Nick looked at the fennec fox. Judy looked between the two foxes wondering who Jared was, but didn't want to interrupt to ask.

Finnick shrugged, "He owed me for what happened last time we worked together. Anyway, this means I can now move on to phase to two of what we talked about."

"Ruining her reputation." Nick said. There was an odd tone that Judy couldn't place. It didn't sound like bitterness nor anger, but it wasn't Nick's normal tone. It seemed very business-like.

"Yes, but that is where our conversation ends." Finnick said with a certain final tone. He wasn't going to argue with them on the subject. Nick stared at Finnick with an unreadable expression.

"Wait! What?" Judy asked confused. "What do you mean?" Ever since Nick brought the subject up she was wondering how they were going to do that. Why wouldn't Finnick want to tell them?

Nick on the other hand started to look irritated. "Hey, you can't just leave me out of the loop, Finnick."

The small fox licked his teeth and crossed his arms across his chest as if to say, 'watch me.' But what the fox actually said, "I can and I am, Nick."

"Then why drive all the way here?" Judy asked. Finnick surely could have just called or texted if that was all he was going to tell them.

"I wanted to tell you guys in person." Finnick said as a matter of factly. "You guys can go back to living your normal cop lives together now." Finnick put his hands up in a placating manner. "Look, Nick. You guys are cops. Trust me. You'll want to have zero involvement in this. I'm doing this to keep you guys safe. You want to keep this a secret from your cop friends, right? The less you know the better."

"I think I'd rather know what I'm up against if this blows up, Finnick." Nick said looking at his friend.

"No, Nick. Please, trust me." Finnick looked at both Judy and Nick. "If this blows up, it could ruin your relationship with bunny here and your career as a cop. You told me you were worried about that. Now, I don't pretend to understand why either are important to you, but I know they are. If you guys have no idea what is going on this allows some deniability on your part. I'm a fox, I can deter them away from you guys as well as myself if anything goes south. I'll be fine. You know that. Nick, do it for Bunny cop here if nothing else."

Judy wondered if he truly could. She knew her coworkers and they were all sharp. They'd probably know something was up and Nick and her would have to confess everything anyway…but then again...maybe the fennec could impede their leads if it came down to cops getting involved. She wasn't sure on either trains of thought and consideration. She hoped she wouldn't have to find out. Nick looked at Judy. She stared right at Nick trying to silently let him know she was good with whatever he decided. The red fox looked back at Finnick.

"Fine. Thank you, Finnick. I really do appreciate it." Nick relented with a sigh. Judy could tell he wasn't happy about it, but he also knew that he would lose this fight with Finnick.

The small fox looked satisfied. "Good." He said. "Now, I have somewhere I have to be. So, I'll be seeing you around, Nick." He started to walk off, but stopped to nod at Judy.

Judy nodded back not knowing what the nod meant by any means except that he was just acknowledging her presence. The small fox left as quickly as he came locking the door behind him. She looked over at Nick. "What do you guys even do together?" she asked half joking and half wanting to actually know.

Nick shrugged. "When we're not hustling?" he asked. "Not that I do that anymore. We just hang out."

She smiled shaking her head at the non-answer. She walked over to him and laid down on the couch putting her head on his lap. She rubbed his knee with her hand and held her body with the other. Nick looked down at his bunny and put one hand on her shoulder and petted her head with the other. He ran his hand down the length of her ears and back to her head again. The action caused the bunny to shiver. She snuggled into his lap, squeezing him against her body.

"How are you?" he asked in a concerned tone. She knew what he meant, but didn't feel it was necessary to tell him everything that happened. She didn't want to remember anything that happened earlier with Kenneth.

She looked at his knees and continued to caress them. "I'm good. I'm doing a lot better than a while ago. It's nice to just be here with you again. How are you feeling?" she asked looking up at him.

"Less tired." He said. He sat back on the couch resting his head. "Though, still tired." He was still touching her and running his hand down her ears.

She sat up pulling herself away from Nick. "Come on." She said getting up.

"Where are we going?" he asked smiling at her.

Judy loved this facial expression of his. It was a mixture between innocent (which she knew it was not) and impish. This was her favorite expression on him. The duality on his face with this one look could sum up his personality. It showed his weakness and strength all at once. She leaned forward kissing his lips chastely.

"To cuddle on your bed, Officer Wilde." She said. She just wanted to lay with him and let the world fall away around them. This afternoon was just going to be about them. She just wanted to enjoy his company and nothing more. They'd had a rough couple of days and there was nothing to be done right this moment. She took his hand and pulled him up. He let her silently lead him to his bedroom.


	8. Chapter 8

Nick and Judy got dressed quickly that morning and made their way to work. They had an early shift and didn't want to be late. Judy wanted to make sure they were out the door in a timely fashion. Nick's apartment was farther away from the precinct and they had to utilize their time a little more wisely than they did when they stayed at Judy's apartment. Back when she was in Bunny Burrow looking for an apartment she chose the building she did because of how close it was to the police station (also because the price of rent).

On their way to the station she smiled because she was glad to be rushing with Nick again. She didn't know how much she missed their mornings together before work until she was doing it again with him. They were actually going about their lives like they had before. Her shutting off the alarm, and rushing to the bathroom to use it first letting Nick mosey out of the bed like he normally did. Their little bickering about him needing to hurry up, though this morning it was more in jest than it was serious. She missed it so she was making up things to pick at him for. He knew that is what she was doing and was equally teasing her back.

Their little inquiries whether or not they had time to stop and get breakfast or have time to make something there like toast or bagels. "You could always take one of the muffins I made." Nick had suggested. Their checks to make sure they both had their badges and whatever else they needed to take with them to work that day. It had been a nice Sunday afternoon and evening the day before and it was a nice Monday morning. Truly all felt right and complete. She didn't want it any other way. This is how her life should be.

Nick yawned as they walked into the station. They were greeted by various coworkers on their way in. The only thing that seemed out of the ordinary was the fact that Clawhauser motioned for them to walk over to him in a somewhat serious manner that was so unlike the normally cheerful mammal.

"Morning, big guy." Nick greeted Clawhauser.

"Good morning, Nick and Judy!" He looked at the bunny and the fox as they walked straight over to him. He lowered his voice in a half whisper, "Uh, Nick…there is a vixen in interrogation room B waiting for you."

Nick and Judy immediately looked at each other before looking back at Clawhauser. "She said she needed to report something, but felt more comfortable talking to the fox officer and she was willing to wait." The poor cheetah looked uncomfortable as he explained the situation. "Chief Bogo said to send you to her when you got here. He'll talk to you when you're done."

Nick nodded somewhat solemnly. "Sure thing, Benny." He looked at Judy before taking off towards the interrogation rooms. Judy watched him leave worrying. She looked back up at Clawhauser when she heard him speak.

"She just seemed so upset." Clawhauser said. "I can't imagine what the poor vixen needs to report. She asked for Nick by name. Saying he'd help her."

Judy looked up at Nick. "Was she a white vixen?" her thoughts turned to Val. Did something happen to her? Had that badger done something worse? She suddenly felt sick with worry for the poor vixen.

Clawhauser looked at her strangely. "No, she's a red fox…like Nick." The cheetah took a bite of a donut clearly enjoying the pastry.

Zoe! Judy panicked. "Thank you. See you later, Clawhauser." She ran after Nick. The cheetah said something, but she couldn't understand him and she didn't stop to ask him what it was.

The interrogation room door was already closed. She walked into the room that would allow her to observe what was going on. She shut the door silently behind her. She walked over to the two way mirror, but stood away far enough so she could see the two foxes and began to listen in.

"Aren't you going to sit down?" Zoe asked teasing as if she really there trying to report a crime. Judy scowled thinking that the vixen should really report herself. "You know, it'd make me feel more comfortable." She said sounding sweet. This made Judy growl in contempt.

Nick stood closer to the two way mirror than to the table that Zoe was sitting at. He had his arms across his chest and was in an administrative stance. "What do you want, Zoe?" he asked with his authoritative voice that he reserved mostly for difficult criminals. Judy rarely heard him use this tone. Even when they were facing down criminals or suspects he was pretty chill and relaxed about it. She figured it was his way of keeping calm.

This caused the vixen to smile. "Aw, how cute. Did the bunny teach you that?" she asked. Her sweet tone turned sardonic.

Judy grimaced at the vixens words. She didn't go out of her way to be violent, but she wanted to smack this vixen really hard especially when she noticed Nick's stance soften. Judy wanted to plead with Nick to not back down from the vixen.

"Zoe, I'm at work." Nick said looking down uncomfortably before looking back up at Zoe. His voice going back to a pleading tone. "What is it that you want?"

"Finnick's been snooping around. A few others as well." She said. "I want to know what you think you're doing."

Nick shifted from side to side. "Zoe." Nick said in a somewhat defeated tone. Judy knew they were caught. "Please, Zoe. I'm not doing anything."

Well, he wasn't lying in that regard. Finnick was the one actually doing something to sabotage her criminal career. Now she was kind of glad Finnick refused to tell them anything. Maybe they could deny everything. Judy was suddenly considering this may blow up in their face within the hour. She started to panic hoping Nick could dodge this one. She hoped he could overcome this and stand up to her and manage to avoid bringing the rest of the precinct in on this. She really didn't want her relationship with Nick found out like this.

"I'm simply trying to start my week at work on a normal manic Monday." Nick said. He lifted his hands up and gestured to the place surrounding them.

"What is this actually about anyway?" Zoe must have realized that Nick was purposely avoiding the question. Judy let out a sigh of relief. Maybe she'd just let it go. However, the vixen decided to attack him in a different way. "Is this a long run con? You could not have possibly gone straight. I don't believe it."

Nick placed his arms down at his side. "I've gone straight, Zoe." He said. "I'm a cop now. There isn't a long run con or anything else going on than what you see here. I don't do that anymore."

Zoe sneered at him. "And what made you go straight? The bunny?" she asked sarcastically. "You never could function on your own. You always needed someone telling you what to do. You just move from mammal to mammal and take whatever orders they give you. If it wasn't me, it was Finnick telling you to leave me and run cons with him. Now instead of him telling you what to do you're letting a bunny do it." She spat at him.

Judy and Nick stilled at the vixen's words. "I…that bunny is the best thing that has ever happened to me." Nick said fiercely. "She didn't tell me anything. She offered me a better life. I could have just continued hustling and being nothing like I've done all my life, but she told me I could be more than a fox..." He shut up when he added the last part. He looked away from the vixen.

Judy took a step closer to the mirror as if she could walk right through it to comfort Nick. Due to her height she couldn't see them anymore, but she could hear them.

"She 'told' you that you could more than a fox." Judy heard Zoe say. "Tell me again how she doesn't tell you what to do. You were a great conman when you were with me. I hear you're a pretty good cop now that you're with her. Without us, you'd be nothing if we didn't point you in the right direction. You're pathetic, cheap, useless object. You're letting a prey mammal control you. You can't even call yourself a fox let alone be more than a fox."

Judy heard enough. She left the observatory room and walked right into the interrogation room. "That's enough!" she nearly shouted. Nick jumped at Judy's outburst. The bunny shut the door behind her. "You have no right to say those things about Nick."

"So you need her to defend you too." Zoe looked back at Nick. She folded her hands on the table and put her chin on top of them.

"No, I don't." Nick's voice was quiet, but firm. Judy paused at what she was going to say next and looked at the fox.

"I don't need her to defend me because I don't understand what she could defend. This…" He waved his arms gesturing around the room. "…is all you. And me, I'm some weird half-accomplishment for you. Now, let me explain. I left you. Yes, you stalked me for a while, but you found a way to move on. I mean you must have. You finally quit trying to get me back and I haven't seen you in years…then all of a sudden you show up again out of the blue…well maybe not so out of the blue."

Nick pointed to Judy, "Because of the Night Howler case, everybody knows Judy Hopps. First rabbit officer, solved her first case ever and it turned out to be a giant governmental conspiracy. Even better." He points over to Judy. "Judy here, shows up in my life and shows me that I could be something more than a hustler, that I could be more than what society has said about us foxes. I take her up on her offer. Now, suddenly it gets around that Nick Wilde, fox hustler, is the partner to Judy Hopps and becomes the first fox officer. I totally admit I couldn't have done it without her and that I did do it because of her. She made me something great."

Nick points his hands in a 'praying' manner and directs them to Zoe. "This comes back to you. You said we were good con artists together and quite frankly, we were. When we were together we were so slick that we could con anybody out of anything and we did. I'll admit, I accomplished some good cons and did some awesome crazy stuff in the process. Like I told, Carrots, it wasn't all bad."

Zoe scowled at his words, but Nick continued. "I have some pretty cool stories to tell hypothetical grandkids as a result of some of the things we've done together. The problem is that I wasn't your partner in all this. I was your possession. You made me a great con artist and you saw me as an accomplishment. It never occurred to you that I am a sentient being. You never cared what you said or did to me so long as I did what you said. You came back because you saw someone else taking your place. It was fine when I was selling pawpsicles on the side of the road with Finnick. I was nothing in that regard and you were happy that I was nothing…without you."

Nick took a deep breath. "Someone else succeeded where you were forced to fail because I left. That's why you came back trying to get me to be a con artist with you again. You hated the fact that Judy made me better than a con artist. You're right. I am a pretty good cop. I became something without you. I moved up, as a fox, and you didn't despite the fact that you said I was the one that needed you. And I know it ticks you off even more knowing that Judy is a bunny. You always used specie-ism as an excuse and used the things that prey and predators did to us as a way to control me. You didn't throw the chair at me because I wouldn't drop everything and go off with you. You got angry when you could smell her at my place. That's why you put the camera's up. I never said that Judy and I were together romantically. You wanted to know if I was sleeping with her. You 'just had to know 'what' I was rejecting you for.' That's where you're wrong. Judy is a who. She is a mammal and so am I. All of this is because you're jealous and specicist."

He pointed accusingly at the livid vixen. "You hate that Judy took over your project and the only reason I let her tell me anything is because I am her partner in all this. She values me. She sees me as more than just a useless object. She sees me as more than a fox and she treats me with respect and compassion. A bunny treats me better than a fellow fox." Nick was about to say something else when Zoe got up from the table and pushed Nick down to the ground.

This action caused Judy to snap out of her astounded state. "Hey!" she shouted at Zoe. She took out her police-issued Taser and pointed at the vixen. "Step down." She snarled at the vixen. "Leave before I arrest you for assaulting a police officer."

As much as she'd just love to do it anyway, she was still conscious of the fact that she didn't want all of this out in the open and neither did Nick. Finnick said he was on it and both officers decided to trust the fennec. Zoe stood up straight and looked like she was about to say something to Nick, who was still on the ground looking up at them, when Judy added. "Now, Zoe." She commanded.

She visibly breathed in and out before silently pushing her way past Judy leaving the couple in the interrogation room alone. As soon as the door shut itself behind Zoe Judy rushed over to her partner. "Nick, are you okay?" she asked frantically bending down to be on the same level as Nick. She reached out to touch his shoulder.

"I'm fine." He said looking at her. He suddenly smiled. "She's done worse."

"I could hit you for that." She smiled at his ill-timed reference. She let go of his should and extended her hand to help him up. Nick took her hand and stood up adjusting his uniform shirt.

"Judy, thank you." He said looking down at the ground putting his chest for wrinkles. The atmosphere changed in the room. Nick's eyes darkened and he wasn't smiling anymore.

Judy noticed how his sudden forlorn demeanor. She sucked in some air. She wouldn't stand for it. "Nick, I'm really proud of you." She needed Nick to also be proud of Nick. She took his hands in hers. "You stood up to her."

"I should have done that a long time ago." He said quietly. He sounded so defeated. She couldn't understand why.

"Hey," she caught his eyes. Nick looked at her. "You did it now."

He let go of her hands and nodded. They walked out of the interrogation room together. This wasn't over. Judy needed to get Nick to see he did something really hard and succeeded just a few moments ago. It didn't matter when he did it, it mattered that he did do it. "Nick," she started again once they were out in the hall. She reached for her fox's arm.

"Can we not talk about this at work?" he asked bluntly. His voice quiet, but pleading. Judy pulled back.

Judy paused. She knew he was shutting down on her and she needed to let him think. "Sure." She said. "Okay. I'm here for you." She assured him folding her hands in front of her.

"I know. Thank you, Carrots." He said smiling weakly. "Oh, while I'm thinking about it. I need to be home by four today. I made an appointment with the locksmith." He added quietly.

She nodded seriously. "Okay. We'll take care of it."

"Give me a second and then we'll go talk to Bogo." He walked away from her in the direction of the men's locker room figuratively and literally shutting her out.

Francine, the elephant who was standing in the hallway looking at a file nodded at him as he passed her. Nick greeted her in return. Francine turned to Judy gave him a slightly funny look, but nodded in her direction. Judy waved at her smiling all the same. She sighed and decided to wait for Nick outside of Bogo's office.

As a result of the confrontation with Zoe, Nick and Judy obviously missed the Bullpen meeting. Bogo wanted to know what was going on with the vixen, to which Judy and Nick assured him that everything went well and there wasn't anything that could be done for her in the end. If he caught their lie, he didn't address it. Instead, Bogo from gave them an assignment anyway. They were sent to Tundra Town to a family of polar bears whose house had been ransacked while they were on vacation. The polar bears were very upfront saying they mainly wanted to file a report for insurance purposes. It was an easy assignment helping the family, which both Nick and Judy were grateful for. They already had a morning. They made it back to the precinct in a timely fashion and worked on the paperwork until Nick said he needed to leave. Judy told him to go and she'd finish up the final details of the assignment.

She was about done when she saw Francine walk up to her. "Hey, Judy." The elephant officer smiled at the small bunny.

It's not that Judy didn't like the elephant, but they both never really went out of their way to talk to each other save for the hallway greetings or if they ended up together out in the field by happenstance. Judy smiled pleasantly at her fellow officer figuring this had to do with the funny look Francine gave her earlier.

"Hello, Francine." She said somewhat awkwardly. "How you doing?"

"I'm good." The elephant sat down at the table opposite of Judy. She turned to face Francine. "How about you?"

"All's fine." She said smiling. "Just another day of making the world a better place." She was desperately trying to sound like her normal self. She could tell the elephant could see right through it.

"Listen, Judy." Francine said decisively. "I wanted to ask you if everything is okay."

Judy couldn't hide her expression of surprise. She felt like a kit caught with her hand in the cookie jar, but at the same time wasn't sure why. Francine hadn't implied she knew anything…yet. Judy felt panicked. She started bracing herself for the worst. "Everything is fine. Why do you ask?"

"To be frank," she said. "It looked like whatever went on in the interrogation room got a little heated. I heard shouting as I passed by and then I saw the vixen leave in a hurry."

Judy looked down. "Oh, that." She said.

"Yes, that." Francine said. Her voice full of concern.

"I'm fine. It was just a little…" Francine was clearly waiting for her answer. Judy tried to scramble to find an excuse. She cursed the fact that Zoe had to show up to her work place. "We couldn't help her. She just got upset and said a few things."

Francine looked at her purposefully and with some apprehension. "Oh, no. Not to me. She said some things to Nick. You know about him being a fox…and a cop." Judy added. It wasn't a complete lie. Judy wasn't sure if she should feel bad or just guilty. She wasn't exactly lying, but she wasn't telling the truth. She didn't know what to say to the elephant.

Francine sat back clearly taken aback by the information she was just given. "Oh." Now the elephant looked a little embarrassed. "I guess that makes sense. With his body language, I just assumed…" she smiled abashedly. "It makes more sense that she demeaned him with how he was acting. On the other hand I know he's protective of you when animals…" The elephant trailed off.

"I get it." Judy rescued her coworker. Nick persistently stood up for Judy whenever she was belittled for being a bunny, even times when Judy didn't want him to. She was grateful in some cases, but sometimes it could be excessive. "This time it was the other way around…but he doesn't need me to stand up for him." She breathed in thinking of how quickly he devolved into a dispirited state. "But sometimes, I need to be there to help pick up the pieces."

Francine smiled a little at that. "I'm glad you found each other." Judy looked up at the elephant anxiously. Her mind going back to panicking. "You two make good partners." She said.

Judy smiled. "We do." Maybe Francine doesn't know about her and Nick and Judy is just being paranoid.

Francine got up. "Well, I'll let you finish up so you can get going." She said. "See you tomorrow, Judy."

"See you tomorrow too, Francine." Judy said waving her coworker good bye. Judy went back to finishing up the paperwork.


	9. Chapter 9

Judy sighed as she opened her door to her apartment. She was so consumed by the fact that she had to break up with Kenneth that it didn't cross her mind to pack for a few days to stay at Nick's. She didn't even have her bag that she normally took to his place. She dumped out the bag that Nick used to put her stuff in that she left at his house and began to fill it with more clothes and other items she knew she'd need not wanting to keep making special trips for them.

She smiled thinking to herself that it wouldn't be long before she just moved in with him all together at this rate. Granted if they wanted to keep up the charade that they were simply police partners and friends, then she'd have to keep paying rent here and keep showing up every once in a while, but that wasn't too important in the grand scheme of things. She couldn't wait until this felt pretty routine, but that they remained aware enough to disguise the true nature of their relationship, but for the most part settle into their relationship…into their lives.

It wasn't going to be like it was before in a strange way she knew. Before Kenneth and before Zoe coming into their current lives. Especially before dating Kenneth, there was this odd innocence to their relationship that she was beginning to miss because no one but they knew. It was secret and special. An intimacy between them. Now, they're actually experiencing strife and it seemed to help draw them closer as a couple. While the situation quickly matured their relationship, she was glad it wasn't destroying it. She guessed they'd still have their moments like when she and Nick laid in bed for most of the day Sunday.

She laid on his chest and felt him breath while he slept a little, but enjoyed the fact that she was just there with him at all. When he woke up they talked a little bit more about nothing. It didn't even feel strained, like they weren't dealing with the problem. It was just a quiet Sunday afternoon in bed like it used to be. They needed that. She was about ready to leave when her phone went off. She looked down at the screen and saw the faces of her parents. She set down her bag knowing she'd be there for a while.

Judy walked over and sat on her bed and answered her phone. "Hey, mom and dad." She said cheerfully. She scooted herself so her back was against the wall. She smiled at the two bunnies on the other side of the phone. "How are you doing?" she asked resigning herself to chatting with them.

"We're fine." Bonnie said. Her voice lacked the usual energy she used when talking to her daughter.

"Hey, Jude the dude." Stu said smiling tentatively.

Her mother looked at her father. Judy felt unnerved. Her father's heart was clearly not in the endearment. Both of her parent's faces looked off. They seemed hesitant about whatever they had called about.

"Is everything okay?" she asked in a careful manner. She wasn't sure why they'd be acting this way. They haven't acted like this since grandma died. "Did something happen?" she asked quickly. "Is everyone okay?"

"Everyone is fine here, Judy." Her mother said and then added. "We're calling to ask you about something we heard."

Judy looked down at her phone in confusion. "Something you heard?' she asked.

"Yes, something we heard." Her mother said looking away from the screen. "About you."

"About me? All the way in Bunny Burrow?" She asked still very confused.

She hadn't done anything that she thought would get back to her parents all the way down there. There wasn't any big cases or anything that would make it on the news either. She hasn't had anything really interesting happen work wise in her life as of late. Least not anything to write home about so to speak. What could they have possible heard?

"Just a little rumor." Her father chimed in putting his fingers slightly together making the visual sign for "small" with one hand while the phone shifted slightly in his other as a result of the movement.

"Well not a rumor exactly." Her mother said looking at her husband then to Judy. "More of one bunny heard from another bunny and that bunny told us kind of thing."

"Sounds kind of like a rumor." Judy said starting to get irritated, though she kept it from her voice. She made sure to just sound confused and curious. It'd get them to tell her what was going on faster. "What did you hear?' she out right asked her parents with a pleasant voice, or at least as pleasant as she could muster making sure her voice seemed light.

"Do you remember Martha Jackson?" Her mother asked.

Judy froze at the last name 'Jackson.' "She's the one that taught choir at your elementary school." Stu said when Judy didn't answer right away.

"Yes." Judy said hoping in vain that this wasn't going where she thought it was going. "I remember her." She said stiffly.

She forgot about Martha Jackson being Kenneth's aunt, who also lived in Bunny Burrow, despite being in her choir class when she was in elementary school. She knew that Martha had a brother that lived in Zootopia, but never put two and two together when she met Kenneth that they all could be related. It was one of the first conversations they had talking about when they were children and where they grew up.

"We heard from her that you broke up with Kenneth." Bonnie said bluntly.

She stood there holding her hands anxiously staring at her daughter hoping that it was some sort of misunderstanding and that she and Kenneth were still together.

"I did break up with him." Judy said. "Sorry." She shifted uncomfortably on her bed. She really didn't want to be having this conversation.

She knew why she apologized, even though she didn't think she had to. She knew they wanted her to date, get married, have kits and everything that goes with that, but she couldn't give it to them. Sometimes this made her angry. They have 275 other kits to get that from. She knew why they were always pressuring her about it. She also knew that they wished she was more bunny-like. On the other had she also knew that they just wanted her to be happy and to them being a normal bunny brought happiness. And to be fair, she did wish she could take Nick home for the holidays, for the Carrot Days Festival, and just to visit. She had an odd hope that she could do it too and that they knew what he meant to her and they'd accept him and kept it all a secret with them.

"May we ask why?" her father said shifting the phone back. Her answer almost making him drop it. "I mean, he seemed so nice and a good bunny. He lives in the city and has a respectable job. He really liked you. I dare say he might have loved you even." Her father started to rationalize the break up based off of what he's heard about Kenneth from Judy.

Judy was reluctant to confirm what her father listed. She was still angry with what Kenneth said about Nick. Even in pain, those things he said were very unnecessary, hurtful, and hateful. She bit her tongue to keep from telling them what happened. Even if Nick and Judy were just friends the things he said wouldn't have been acceptable. Though, telling her parents this would require a long explanation that she didn't want to get into just yet. Maybe she could tell her parent's about Nick one day, but right now was not a good time.

"I don't love him." She said simply. She wasn't going to argue with them or let them try to convince her to take him back. Even if Nick didn't want her back, she couldn't have followed through with the relationship with the black rabbit. "I can't see a future with him. He's not the mammal I want to be with for the rest of my life." That much was true.

"So…it's true then?' her mother spoke first after a few painfully silent seconds. "Martha said that Kenneth said you broke up with him because of your partner Nick. Are you dating Nick?  
The fox?" Her mother sounded like she hoped that part wasn't true now. They clearly had not wanted to accuse her of anything until she confirmed the break up first.

Well, she guessed today would have to be a good time to tell them about Nick. She mentally sighed. "Yes," Judy said without hesitation. "I am dating Nick."

She kept her voice firm and made sure that there wasn't any room for argument. She had made a mistake in dating Kenneth and letting Nick go, but she wasn't going to do it again. Judy was suddenly feeling angry with Kenneth, but she needed to focus on what was going on in the present. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could kill the black rabbit right now.

She understood she hurt him and he'd want someone to talk to, but why did he have to tell them about Nick? Wasn't her constant stand off-ish behavior the entire time they dated enough? Didn't he see it…well that's not fair. She didn't really notice it either until this past weekend. She shook herself from her thoughts not even realizing her parents had been doing nothing but stare at her. "I am dating Nick." She repeated in the silence.

What proceeded made her wish for that silence because her parents flooded her with questions.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Bonnie asked. "I mean…what kind of life can you have with him?"

"You can't marry him." Her father said. "Yeah, there's no law against it, but some things go without saying, Judy. And what about kits? Don't you want to have some of your own? Does Nick want kits? What does he think about that?"

"And what about your job?" Her mother inquired. "Won't they fire you if they found out?"

Judy didn't even know where to begin to answer her parent's questions. She felt overwhelmed by their inquiries. She just watched them as they started to talk over each other with questions.

Though as much as she dreaded thinking about it coming to that she chose to address the one about her job first. "I'll admit they may fire us or they may give us the option of one of us transferring. I don't know, mom. I've always felt that I'd deal with it when it happens if it happens. It may sound foolish, but I am hoping our performance will influence their decision making in that. We work good together and hopefully they'll take that into consideration. However, Nick and I are very careful. We went several months without anyone finding out and still no one at work knows." She argued.

Her parents visibly winced when Judy said 'several months.' The surprise on their faces told Judy that they didn't know that. She wished she knew what all Martha had said.

"Sorry for not telling you guys." She said. "Before I started seeing Kenneth, Nick and I were together. It's because of Nick that Kenneth and I got together in the first place." She hoped by telling them this that they'd see how much Nick cared for her. "He wanted me to be happy. He didn't want for me to have to hide my relationship from everyone. He wanted me to have a full married life, kits, my career and all. However, I can have a full life with Nick all the same. It won't be one with kits, an official marriage license at best it will be more like a common law marriage, but probably more just the two of us kind of living together. I'll keep my own place for the most part, but at the end of the day I'll have my job and I'll have him." She repeated what she said to Nick about how everyone will think they're just two officers married to their job and not needing anything or anyone else, but their partners on the force. To be honest, she didn't think anyone would put it past her to be like that. She's always made it clear her career comes first.

It didn't make her parents' any happier hearing this. Their apprehensive looks turned into scowls at some point in her speech.

Her father spoke up. "Is that really the life you want? All the secrecy. You'll have to lie all the time. You've never been one for lying, Judy."

She thought about earlier. Yes, she lied most of the day today. She had to lie to Bogo about who Zoe was and what she wanted and she had to lie to Francine about what happened in the interrogation room in a manner of speaking. That one was more lying through omission. It did make her feel guilty and uncomfortable, but it was all because of Zoe. It was special circumstance. This wasn't a normal problem. Before this whole mess, they never really lied to anyone. Granted, everyone assumed that the fox and the rabbit were really close friends and they were never corrected, but that was also none of their business. She didn't know about all their personal lives.

"We don't have to lie." She said. "We just don't discuss our personal lives at work. No one else at work talks about their personal lives indiscreetly. I never told anyone that I was dating Kenneth." Though, they found out anyway because he surprised her one day by taking her out to lunch on her break, but she didn't bring it up. It just happened. "I'm serious about this, guys. Any argument you could come up with as to why I shouldn't go through with it. I've already thought of."

"We don't like this, Judy." Bonnie said. "This isn't the life we want for you."

"I can have a full life with him." Judy insisted. "Nick makes me happy and I enjoy our life we have right now. I like getting up in the morning and going to work with him, going home with him and crashing after a long day on the force, watching movies, going out to dinner, going out with friends, exercising, even cleaning and cooking when I can convince him to do either if he actually isn't already doing either, doing laundry, making the bed, teasing each other over stupid stuff, him surprising me with flowers or me surprising him with blueberries, filing reports, chasing down criminals together and so on. I really mean it. Our lives are plenty busy and plenty full. We never have a dull moment and I wouldn't have it any other way. I want to grow old with him."

Her parents looked at each other again then back to her. "Judy…" Bonnie began putting her hand towards her daughter despite the screen between them.

"I'm not giving him up again." She said firmly. "I can't. I tried to be a normal bunny and date Kenneth, but I can't live my whole life knowing that I married a bunny to make others happy. To full fill a part that society has set up. I'd rather be alone than married to someone I didn't love. It's not fair to them or me. Please, mom…dad…even if you can't understand it…please know that I am happy with Nick. Please…"

Both of them looked away from her. Judy felt her heart stop for a second tensely wondering what they would say next. She closed her eyes bracing herself for however they chose to respond to her declaration.

"Judy." Her mother said. Judy opened her eyes. "Let me finish. We need to think about this. Not just us, but you and Nick need to think long and hard on this. You say you've thought of everything, but you're only planning for the best to happen. You need to consider that the worst may happen. How far are you willing to take this before it blows up? What will you do after it blows up? Please, just think about it. As for your father and I…we need time to think about this as well. This is hard on us. It's a lot to take in. We'll call you in a few days and discuss this then."

"There's nothing to discuss." Judy insisted. "I'm staying with Nick."

"Like your mother said." Stu looked at Judy. "We'll call you in a few days. Talk to Nick, please Judes."

"We love you, Judy." Bonnie said. "We want what's best for you. Please, give us the time we asked for. Goodbye."

"I love you guys too." She said quietly. "Goodbye." Her ears dropped as she stared at the phone frowning.

Then the phone screen froze and the call ended. They were all clearly at a wall at this point. They wanted to convince her to leave Nick and she wasn't going to. So, they backed off before it became a full on argument, screaming and all. She hated that growing up. They'd retreat and then come up with a different strategy. They'd placate her until they found a different way of discouraging whatever it was they didn't want her to do.

Judy's ears shot up in realization. They did this when they were trying to discourage her from becoming a police officer. They humored her up to a point with, "It's okay to have dreams so long as you don't believe in them too much" speech, but then the older she got and the closer she got to achieving her goals they scrambled to try to convince her to just stay on the farm. However, in the end, they accepted her dream anyway and didn't bother to try to deter her away and became supportive about the dream despite the fact they didn't like it.

They don't like this. They don't like her dating Nick. Maybe her relentlessness in this could have a similar outcome. Her chest ached with optimism and a hope she hadn't felt since they finally gave up and let her become a police officer without opposition. They still lectured her every once in a while about being safe, but that is because they were concerned for her. She knew it and even though it could be annoying she listened because it made them feel better and like they were able to do something for her being so far away.

Judy hopped off the bed. Maybe she would take some time to think about it, but not in the way her parents said. She'd talk to Nick and tell him what happened and maybe he could be there for the next phone call. She have him wait off somewhere out of sight so she could ease her parents into it and ask them if they'd be willing to talk to Nick, but since he is very much involved in this he should be included in this conversation.

She needed a way to let her parent's know that her life with Nick is going to be okay. However, she will admit they were right. She was mainly planning on the best case scenario, but to be honest she doesn't know what she'll do if worse comes to worse. She'd truly just have to fall off that boat when they got there. She could say all the stuff she wanted about it, but it's all just talk until it has to become action. Only then will she actually know what she'll do.

She picked up her bag when she noticed something under her bed. She set her bag back on the bed before bending over and picked it up and groaned. It was one of Kenneth's books. He had let her borrow it hoping she'd find it just as fascinating as he did. She never cared to read it. It just didn't seem like a book she'd like. She tried to read the first page once, but that was as far as she got with it. She forgot she even had it wondering how it even ended up under the bed. Seeing the unanimated object made her angry at the black rabbit. She debated on calling him and asking what he thought he was doing. Again, she knew she hurt him. That didn't excuse him from acting like a teenager trying to get revenge for a bad break up by making sure her parents found out about Nick.

She pulled out her phone mentally making the excuse she needed to give him back his book anyway. She didn't want it and she wasn't just going to throw it out just because she was angry with him. She pressed on his name and it started to call him. It rang a few times before it went straight to voice mail. That was too soon. He just blocked her! He saw her calling and blocked her. Judy looked down at the screen. How dare he! She breathed in angrily, but ended up throwing the book at the wall regardless. It cause her neighbors to yell. She rationalized that it was just Bucky and Pronk and they were loud all the time.

However, she apologized for being so rude anyway. It wasn't their fault that Kenneth blocked her. She supposed that yelling at the black rabbit wouldn't do anything. As for his book, he can forget it. She wasn't going to go out of her way to give it back to him. Judy grabbed her bag and headed out the door to Nick's place.

When she arrived to Nick's place she tried to take her keys out of her purse out of habit when it occurred to her that he just got the locks changed. Making her hair stand on end on the back of her neck, she found the door to his apartment wasn't locked anyway. She opened it slowly peeking inside before letting herself all the way in.

"Nick!" she called out. She walked in shutting the door behind her. She looked around herself for any signs of disturbances. Everything looked like it was in their place…even the stuff that was randomly on the floor that simply needed to be picked up. Her nose twitched nervously. She nearly jumped when she heard a loud thud coming from down the hallway.

She saw Nick emerge from the hallway where his bedroom was, struggling to put his police academy t-shirt on. He had already taken a shower she noticed and changed his clothes that slightly clung to his frame and his fur ruffled from the water. He must have immediately got dressed before fully drying. He looked at her expectantly. He studied her for the reason she called out to him in such a panicked manner.

"I was just wondering where you were." She said. She gestured to the door. "You should keep your door locked. Especially when you shower."

"It was locked when I showered." He said tugging at the shirt to bring it all the way down as it stuck to his body. "I unlocked it as soon as I was done because you don't have a key yet and I didn't want for you to have to wait until I let you in. Thank you by the way. For covering for me." Nick smiled at her.

She shrugged setting her bags down and turned to lock the door now that she knew all was well. "It's no big deal." She said.

She turned back to look at her fox. She smiled and let her shoulders fall. Despite having the wonderful Sunday afternoon with Nick, this weekend had been too long and it was still going. She was under the impression that it wasn't going to end any time soon.

Nick noticed the movement and asked, "Did something else happen?" His voice concerned and he began to look her up and down for any signs of distress that needed immediate attention.

She breathed in before saying, "Let's tell your mom about us." She said keeping the small smile on her face. She threw her hands up and looked at him in surrender before setting them down at her side again.

Nick on the other hand, his face lit up. "Okay." He said somewhat happily, but he was a cop the same as her. He knew there had to be a reason for the change of heart. "What brought this on? You seemed hesitant when I brought it up yesterday."

She lifted her shoulders up a little before letting them fall back down while tilting her head. "My parents already know."

Nick mimicked her tilted head to catch her eyes. "What?" he asked. "You told them?" he seemed surprised especially since she had been so adamant that they never find out.

Judy stood up straight again. "No, I didn't tell them. Kenneth did." She smiled sardonically folding her arms across her chest. "His parents live here in Zootopia, but his dad is from Bunny Burrow, and his aunt still lives there. I should have known." She shook her head. "He's a big momma's boy, and he tells his mom everything…and his mother must have turned around and told his aunt…"

"Who told your parents…" Nick finished rolling his eyes. So much for being as 'good guy' about this as possible.

"I don't see him directly calling Martha himself." She said. "So, I am guessing that's how Martha found out. My parents called while I was at my apartment just now."

"How did they take it?" Nick asked. She could see his body tense with anticipation of her answer.

"Not very well to be honest." She said. She walked up to Nick and put her hands on his arms comfortingly. "They'll come around. They'll have to at this point." She smiled encouragingly. "I'm not too worried. They said they'd call in a couple of days." She explained the situation to him and what her thoughts were on it as she held into his arms.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to give it a try. If you think they will come around. I'm sure they will. As for everything else, we'll deal with it when it happens." He said smiling reassuringly. "Just promise me that you won't try to be the hero." She was going to respond to that, but he wasn't finished talking. She could feel the anxiousness in his body, but he was keeping a brave face and pressed on changing the subject. "I'll call my mother and let her know I have some important news to tell her. Maybe we can set a date for Saturday to go over and talk to her." He laughed. "Well, this is going to be interesting."

Judy looked at him. "Why?"

"I've never taken anyone home to meet my mom before." He said and held on to her upper back due to the difference in height and specie type. "Let alone meeting a girl's family…granted over the phone, but still. Now we're doing it all in one week." He shrugged heartily. "Well…might as well get it over with." He smiled at her.

She laughed at him. "You've talk to my parents before." She said.

"But not as the boyfriend…well officially the boyfriend." Nick smiled. He had been at her apartment a few times when they called before and after he and Judy first started…a relationship. They hadn't called it anything just yet. They were just living their lives. As they should be.

Judy smiled rubbing up and down his arms. So much was happening all at once, but she was glad to be with him every step of the way. He leaned down to kiss her on the lips chastely. Judy pulled back after the soft kiss and looked up at the fox.

"Nick…" she said suddenly. She wanted to make sure he was okay from what happened earlier. She didn't want him to push what he went through aside and not deal with it. The look on his face at the station this morning haunted her thoughts most of the day. "How are you doing?"

Nick's body stilled in her arms. "I'm fine, Carrots." He said.

"I meant it when I said I was proud of you." She said. "You should be proud of you too. I want you to know that."

Nick pulled back from her touch and let go of her. "I…" he sighed. "I just feel ashamed." He admitted. "That was the break up I should have had with her years ago. I know you say that it doesn't matter, but to me it does. I'll be fine. It's over now. I just want to finally be able to move on." He looked down at her. "Maybe now she'll finally leave me be." He said somewhat hopefully. Judy inhaled hoping the same thing. Maybe they should call Finnick and let him know what happened.

"I'm sorry I haven't been myself lately." Nick said. His body language still displaying his feelings of defeat. "I know I've been kind of a downer lately."

"It's okay." She said. She walked up to him and put her arms around his waist and brought him closer to her. "You've been having a hard time lately. I get it. If you need to talk about it. I'll be here to listen." He put his arms around her.

She did miss his constant teasing, facetious demeanor, his bad jokes and ill-timed sarcasm. Though, she guiltily suspects that it was more than just Zoe that put him in this state. He's shut her out for months now and seems to be slowly letting her back in. She wanted Nick to be her Nick again. She began to hope for his being right about Zoe finally leaving him alone. She wanted for them to just move on with their lives. They still had the parents to deal with, but she was sure that would work itself out.

They held each other in silence. She put her face in his chest and breathed in his scent of having just showered. His male body wash was a welcomed familiar smell. She could feel his clothes were still a little damp from being put on too soon. She tugged at the hem of his shirt and pull it up so she could put her hands inside of his shirt. She rubbed his bare fur on his back letting it catch between her fingers as she moved up and down in gentle caresses. It felt clumpy due to having been wet and it wasn't as easy to move with her fingers. She closed her eyes as she felt him kiss the top of her head. His hands moving up to rest on her shoulders. He went to unhook her police issued vest when they both jumped at the sound of a knock at the door.


End file.
